African American history and gay rights have always been inextricably bound up together. There is no better example of this fact tht the Stonewall Rebellion in 1969. The Stonewall Inn was one of the most popular gay bars in New York City. It was routine at the time for police and law enforcement authorites to raid gay establishments. Homosexuality was viewed as a criminal offense and a mental disorder. Prior to the raid on Stonewall on June 28, 1969, the bar was raided several times that week. Tired of the harasssment and criminialization, patrons decided to fight back.
That night at Stonewall, trans people, particularly nonwhite trans women, are credited with starting the first altercations with police. While there are debates about who threw the first "brick," there is no doubt that people like Sylvia Rivera, Marsha P. Johnson, and Stormé DeLarverie were among the first protestors to fight back. A year after the uprising, the first gay pride marches were held in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco to commemorate the anniversary.
#StonewallInn #StonewallRebellion #MarshaPJohnson #SylviaRivera