Artifact #8: Video about partners Jack Baker and Michael McConnell (2016)
This video tells the story of Richard John “Jack” Baker and Michael McConnell. These two men were pioneers for marriage equality. They applied for a marriage license in Hennepin County, MN, for a license to marry. Upon being denied approval by the county clerk, the two men appealed the decision to the Minnesota Supreme Court, which dismissed the claim. They later reapplied for and received a marriage license in Blue Earth County, MN, a full six weeks before Minnesota officially banned same-sex marriage, making them (technically) the first married gay couple in the US. Their activism continued throughout the 1980’s, as they brought more attention to the issue of marriage equality. Jack Baker was also president of the FREE movement.