Baltimore Leather Association of the Deaf (BLADeaf) [Edit]

Baltimore Leather Association of the Deaf (BLADeaf), the first deaf leather club in America, was founded in 1986. Its original name was Maryland Lambda Alliance of the Deaf and it had three name changes before its name was changed to BLADeaf. It was founded by Elwood C. Bennett, Scott Wilson, and Harry “Abbe” Woosley, Jr. According to BLADeaf, the fact of the Baltimore Eagle being BLADeaf’s home bar means the Baltimore Eagle is the world’s first bar to home a deaf leather organization.

International Deaf Leather bestowed the Michael Felts Lifetime Achievement Award on BLADeaf cofounder Harry “Abbé” Woosley, Jr. in 1997, and the International Deaf Leather Recognition Award on BLADeaf in 1998.

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