2019 is the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall rebellion!
The Stonewall uprising (or riots), June 28, 1969, are widely considered to be the inciting incident that sparked the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for LGBTQ rights.
- In the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, the New York City police arrived at the Stonewall Inn to conduct yet another raid on the gay and lesbian bar.
- But this time patrons of the bar stood up to the police and fought back against injustice and police brutality. Over 500 people protested that night, and for the next four nights.
- “We were just a bunch of kids, not heroes. We simply wanted to dance and not be harrassed.” Danny Garvin, Stonewall veteran
- “I got hit in the back with a club. But you could see and feel the person next to you wasn’t going to run.” Martin Boyce, Stonewall veteran
- “The sudden specter of ‘gay power’ raised its brazen head and spat out a fairy tale the likes of which the area has never seen.” The Village Voice, July 3, 1969
- “After Stonewall we told the straight world we didn’t give a damn what they thought. We were going to do what we were going to do and weren’t going to ask their permission.” Martha Shelley, Stonewall veteran
MORE INFO on the Stonewall Uprising