PRIDE MONTH

Gay Liberation Monument. Created in 1980, the Gay Liberation sculpture by American artist George Segal was the first piece of public art dedicated to gay rights and solidarity for LGBTQ individuals while commemorating the ongoing struggles of the community.[1] The monument was dedicated on June 23, 1992, as part of the dedication of the Stonewall National Monument.

PRIDE MONTH. Since 2017 LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) Month has been observed in June as it has been nationally in recognition of the Stonewall Inn riots of June, 1969 in Manhattan.

The Stonewall Inn, a bar located in Greenwich Village, New York City, was the scene of an uprising. At a time when showing same-sex affection or dressing in a manner considered gender inappropriate could result in arrest and bars had lost their liquor licenses for serving LGBTQ+ customers. New York City police assigned to stop any illegal alcohol sales raided the Stonewall Inn in the early hours of Saturday, June 28, 1969. The reaction of the bar’s patrons and neighborhood residents that assembled in the street was not typical. Instead of dispersing, the crowd became increasingly angry and began chanting and throwing objects as the police arrested the bar's employees and patrons. Reinforcements were called in by the police. For several hours they tried to clear the streets while the crowd fought back. The initial raid and the riot that ensued led to six days of demonstrations and conflicts with law enforcement outside the bar, in nearby Christopher Park, and along neighboring streets. At its peak, the crowds included several thousand people.

The events of Stonewall, as the uprising is most commonly referred to, marked a major change in the struggle for "homophile rights" in the United States. Lesbian women, gay men, bisexual and transgender people began to vocally demand their civil rights. Stonewall is regarded by many as the single most important moment for the dramatic expansion of the LGBT civil rights movement. The riots inspired LGBT people throughout the country to organize. Within two years of Stonewall, LGBT rights groups had been started in nearly every major city in the U.S. Stonewall was, as historian Lillian Faderman wrote, "the shot heard round the world...crucial because it sounded the rally for the movement.” (1)

One year after the riots, LGBTQ+ residents of New York and their allies marked the anniversary with the Christopher Street Liberation Day March. (2)

Today, the site of the uprisings in Greenwich Village is recognized as a National Historic Landmark (NHL) by the National Park Service. It is considered significant under NHL Criterion 1 because of its association with events that outstandingly represent the struggle for civil rights in America. This National Historic Landmark includes the bar, Christopher Park, and the streets where the events of June 28-July 3, 1969, occurred. The Stonewall Inn is located at 51-53 Christopher Street, New York City, New York and is open to the public. (2)

Pride Month activities have evolved a great deal from the first year when the Telegraph Herald included this listing for the first day's activities.

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Sources:

1. "Stonewall National Monument," National Park Service. Online: https://www.nps.gov/places/stonewall-national-monument.htm

2. Associated Press, "50 Years Later, Thousands Converge on Stonewall Inn," Telegraph Herald, June 29, 2019, p. 2

3. "Stonewall National Monument"