Party & Protest: The Radical History of Stonewall and Pride

Gay pride started as a protest. A police raid on a gay bar in New York led to the birth of what we now know as Pride movement half a century ago.

The connection between political protest and equality progress is one which has been happening for years. In celebration of Pride, here’s our quick guide to a brief radical history of Gay liberation:

• In early July 1969 in New York City, hundreds of homosexuals fought the police in a week-long riot in Greenwich Village, following a botched police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a mafia-run bar frequented by LGBTQ+ people.
• While the Stonewall riots were a spontaneous reaction of anger and act of defiance against police harassment, they had been a long time in the making.
• While the riots themselves lasted only a few days, their repercussions continue to this day! 
• From consciousness-raising groups to protests and refuges for homeless trans and queer people, the surge in LGBTQ+ organising took many forms
• Following the first anniversary of Stonewall, some of the LGBTQ+ the community were keen to mark what was becoming regarded as the “Bastille day” of gay rights. 
• On 28 June 1970, a year to the day since the police raid, the first ‘Christopher Street Liberation Day’ was held, attracting a few thousand LGBTQ+ activists.
• As the gay rights movement grew, so did the marches, which came to be collectively known as Gay Pride and then Pride parades!
• Last year, on the 50th anniversary of the riots, more than 5 million people took part in New York’s annual Pride events.

Want to find out more, check out these resources below: