Brian John Coyle (June 25, 1944 – August 23, 1991) was anAmerican community leader, elected official, and gay activist. Coyle was one of the founders of the alternative newspaperHundred Flowers. He later became the first openly gay member of the Minneapolis City Council.
Brian John Coyle was born on June 25, 1944, inGreat Falls, Montana. He was raised inMoorhead, Minnesota, and graduated fromMoorhead High School. He received his BA degree from theUniversity of Minnesota (Minneapolis campus) in 1967. While at the university, Coyle was a member ofStudents for a Democratic Society and a writer for theMinnesota Daily. He organized the first Vietnam 'teach-in' at the university, and originated the Free University.
After graduating from the university, Coyle taught humanities atMoorhead State University for one year, where he was indicted for failure to register for the draft, but was acquitted as aconscientious objector. He returned to Minneapolis in 1968, worked at the Twin Cities Draft Information Center, and was one of the founders of the alternative newspaperHundred Flowers. He worked as national office coordinator for theNew American Movement and directed the National Campaign to Impeach Nixon, and founded the Progressive Roundtable. During this time (1971), he publicly came out as gay.
Locally, Coyle spent much time in the mid-to-late-1970s working on tenants' rights issues, and campaigning (unsuccessfully) for a rent control ordinance. He was also active inpowerline protests in rural Minnesota (along with future Minnesota SenatorPaul Wellstone). From 1979 to 1981, Coyle organized with Minnesotans Against the Downtown Dome (MADD), a coalition opposed to the construction of a subsidized sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis.[1]
In 1978, Coyle ran as an independent candidate for US Senator, in a special election to complete the term ofHubert Humphrey (losing toDavid Durenberger). In 1979, he ran for Mayor ofMinneapolis (losing toDFL'erDon Fraser). He ran for theMinneapolis City Council (Ward 6) in 1981, but lost to incumbent Jackie Slater in a close race. In 1983, in a newly drawn sixth ward centered on the neighborhoods ofWhittier,the Wedge,Cedar-Riverside, and parts ofdowntown,[2] he won election to the City Council, where he concentrated on affordable housing, human rights, economic development, the environment and transportation. Coyle also fought for light rail transportation and domestic partner benefits.[3] He served as council vice president.[1][4] He was one of 13 openly gay elected officials at the International Network of Lesbian and Gay Officials (INLGO) Conference in 1985.
Coyle served three terms on the City Council. He was diagnosed asHIV-positive in 1986, but this was not known publicly until 1991, the same year that he died from AIDS-related complications, aged 47. Ford House is a memorial to Coyle. AMinneapolis community center, a neighborhood garden and aHuman Rights Campaign leadership award also carry his name. On October 13, 1996, a commissioned bust of Coyle, created by artist Deborah Richert, was unveiled in the rotunda of Minneapolis' City Hall.[5]
Coyle has been credited for laying the foundation for LGBT+ politics in Minnesota, including the state'slegalization of same-sex marriage.[3] He is the namesake of the Brian Coyle Community Center in theCedar Riverside neighborhood[6] and Brian Coyle Community Garden inElliot Park.[7]
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