The Importance of Stonewall

by Michael Jones · 2009-06-22 01:52:00 UTC
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Stonewall Inn

This week will mark the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, the historic confrontation that happened in 1969 at Greenwich Village's Stonewall Inn, and the event that most consider the birth of the modern gay rights movement.  During the early hours of June 28, patrons at the Stonewall Inn fought back against a police raid.  Police had crashed the bar to arrest LGBT folks - a fairly common practice up until the 1960s & 70s.  The next night, after revolting against the police, more than 2,000 folks showed up in front of the Stonewall Inn, and the gay liberation front was essentially launched.

The importance of Stonewall can't be overstated.  Some have called it the "hairpin drop heard around the world."  Others have rightfully labeled it the reason that we celebrate pride during the month of June. And though there were certainly organizers for LGBT rights before Stonewall (including several years earlier in Philadelphia), Stonewall is the event that history books remember as the most famous.

Below is a video recap of a conference hosted by SAGE USA (Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders), in which a handful of activists, including Jerry Hoose and Mark Segal, recall the meaning and significance of Stonewall, and its immediate aftermath.  It's a cool video to check out as we kick off the 40th anniversary week of Stonewall.  And each day this week we'll cover something unique about this historic event.

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.
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