| 1981 | This year, 152 cases of the new disease were reported in the US; only two cases were reported in the DC area. Both people had died by year¹s end. | |
| June 5 | CDC first report | 5 cases of pneumocystis carinii reported in Gay men |
| July 3 | CDC updates report | 26 new cases in New York and California |
| July 10 | "Rare, fatal pneumonia hits Gay men" Washington Blade, p. 1 | Janis Kelly writes first article in the Washington
Blade
on what became known as GRID and later as AIDS |
| July 10 | "Cancer deaths reported among NY, Calif. Gays," Washington Blade, p. A6 | First news item on Kaposi's Syndrome (KS) among Gay men |
| September 11 | "Task force to study rare cancer in Gay men," Washington Blade, p. 1 | Janis Kelly writes about KS and new CDC study |
| November | Capital Area Physician Association formed | Gay physician group formed and began looking for ways to assist "in programs to educate Gay men about the latest situation and suggest ways of preventing the diseases." |
| December 18 | "Incidence of rare cancer is rising," Washington Blade, p. 1 | Lou Chibbaro writes on CDC and NEJM reports of "rare forms of pneumonia and cancer that have been afflicting Gay men ... " |
| 1982 | 1,300 cases of AIDS were reported in the US; 317 had died. 22 cases of AIDS were reported in the DC Metro area; eight had died | The causes of GRID were still unknown. In New York, the Gay Men's Health Crisis organized in January, started patient services in May, and a buddy program in September. |
| January | Whitman-Walker Clinic forms AIDS Education Task Force | |
| January 15 | "Readers poll results," Washington Blade, p. 1 | Readers vote 'gay cancer' most important national story of 1981 |
| January 22 | "Saving the system" in Health, Washington Blade | Dr Richard DiGioia writes the first column of AIDS-related advice, on preserving the immune system, listing possible symptoms and risky behaviors |
| April 16 | "'Gay cancer' focus of hearing," Washington Blade, p. 1 | Lou Chibbaro reports on first congressional hearing, called by Rep. Henry Waxman, on KS |
| June 11 | "Local study tests for 'Gay illnesses'," Washington Blade, p. 1 | Lou Chibbaro reports on NCI study involving Dr Richard DiGioia and Dr William Sanchez. Related story on same page profiles federal budget cuts on 'gay illnesses' research |
| June 18 | CDC reports cluster in southern CA | First suggestion that infectious agents are sexually transmitted |
| June 25 | "'Gay illnesses' may be sexually transmitted, Washington Blade | Lou Chibbaro reports on CDC report. DC reports 4 cases of Gay-Related Immunodeficiency Disease |
| July 16 | CDC report of immunosuppression in 3 hemophiliacs | First suggestion of possibly tainted blood supply |
| September | First use of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) | |
| September 17 | "AIDS research planned, local doctors seek gay involvement," Washington Blade | Brad Green reports on new local research at Georgetown, Howard, George Washington universities and NCI |
| October | CDC reports 5 cases in women | First evidence of heterosexual transmission |
| October 6 | "AIDS: when tragedy strikes,", Washington Blade, p. 19 | Viewpoint: first person memorial and commentary on loss of a friend to AIDS |
| November 5 | CDC recommendations for precautions | Applied to clinical and laboratory staff |
| December 9 | First community forum on AIDS | Organized by MCC, the forum drew about 200 people on a Thursday night to 945 G St NW for presentations by Drs Lawrence Hill, Philip Schein, Cesar Caceres, James Goedert, Philip Silverman, and Rev. Larry Uhrig |
| 1983 | There were 4,156 reported cases of AIDS in the US; 1,292 had died. There were 89 cases of AIDS reported in the DC area; 39 had died. | First concerns about the blood supply arise. |
| January/
February |
Margot Joan Fromer series of articles runs in the Washington Blade. "...this feature series is an effort to step back from the individual stories and take a more comprehensive look at AIDS and some of the issues which it has raised." | The series dramatized the illness, consequences, and issues of AIDS under titles such as "Like a knight stripped of armor, AIDS victims are virtually defenseless." |
| January | Whitman-Walker Clinic forms AIDS Education Fund | |
| February 4 | "Gay clinic forms local AIDS group,"
Washington Blade, p. 33 |
Lou Chibbaro reports creation of AIDS Education Fund to "provide up-to-date information about AIDS to both the Gay and the non-Gay communities ... [and] may expand its activities to include counseling and other services to AIDS patients..." |
| February 11 | "AIDS funding: Is the federal government doing all it can to combat AIDS?", Washington Blade, p. 1 | Lisa Keen & Lou Chibbaro interview Larry Kramer on AIDS funding. "Doctors are begging for research money," says Larry Kramer. |
| February 25 | "AIDS: the future", Washington Blade, pp. 15 - 22 | Seven page feature with articles by Tim Westmoreland, Jim Marks, Paul Van Ness, Larry Puchall, and Richard DiGioia look at patient needs, local awareness study, and preventive steps. |
| March 4 | First US Public Health Service prevention recommendations | Risk groups were asked to not donate blood |
| March 4 | "Don't give blood, PHS tells those at risk of AIDS," Washington Blade, p. 1 | Lou Chibbaro reports new recommendations |
| April 1 | "Bill Bogan: Activist wants to organize visits to AIDS patients," Washington Blade, p. 17 | Jim Marks details Bogan's arguments for AIDS patient
support groups and visitation |
| April 4 | Community AIDS forum, Lisner Auditorium | Whitman-Walker Clinic organizes event that draws 1200 to Lisner auditorium for the latest information on AIDS. Dr Ernest Hardaway, Dc Health Commissioner, opened the forum. Dr Richard DiGioia interviewed John Willig, AIDS patient, on stage. GMHC of New York describes AIDS patient support. |
| May 6 | DC AIDS Task Force meets for the first time | Dr Richard DiGioia and Dr Ernest Hardaway, co-chairs |
| June | Whitman-Walker Clinic produces its first AIDS education pamphlet | |
| June 19 | First AIDS vigil and march | Organized by Langston Hughes-Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club for the eve of Gay Pride Day. Group marched from Dupont Circle to Lafayette Park for candlelight vigil |
| July 1 | "DJ succumbs to AIDS,", Washington Blade, p. 17. | Obituary of William 'Dirk' Dieffenbach is first 'obituary' (there was not yet an obituary section in the Blade) to cite AIDS as the cause of death. |
| July 1 | "Community Notes", Washington Blade | Bob Schwartz at the Whitman-Walker Clinic starts a support group for healthy men concerned about AIDS |
| September | Whitman-Walker Clinic hired its first AIDS Program Director | |
| September | First AIDS forum for the African-American community was held at the Clubhouse, 1296 Upshur NW | |
| 1984 | At the end of 1984, 9,920 cases of AIDS were reported in the US; 3,665 had died. 265 cases of AIDS were reported in the DC metro area; 111 had died. | In 1984, Whitman-Walker Clinic opened its AIDS Evaluation unit and treated 55 persons; the first support group for persons with AIDS formed. In the summer of 1984, it becae clear that a virus carries the disease. |
| 1985 | At the end of 1985, 20,470 cases of AIDS had been reported in the US; 8,161 had died. 645 cases of AIDS were reported in the DC area; 344 had died. | Whitman-Walker Clinic opened Schwartz House for PWAs and a seocnd house in December. The FDA approved a test for HTLV-1; Whitman-Walker Clinic becomes the city's main testing center. AMFAR is founded in LA. |
| March 1 | "AIDS symptoms," in Health, Washington Blade | Dr Richard DiGioia profiled symptoms known up to this date |
| March 15 | "When the pretending stops ...," Washington
Blade, p. 1 |
Lisa Keen began a series profiling the illness and decline of lawyer Ray Engebretsen. The articles continued from March until Engebretsen's death in August and gave a memorably dramatic and urgent face to AIDS in DC. The series won the Washington Dateline Award for Local Journalism from the Society for Professionali Journalists in 1985. |