1969 gay bar raid

It was large and relatively cheap to enter. It welcomed drag queens, who received a bitter reception at other gay bars and clubs. It was a nightly home for many runaways and homeless gay youths, who panhandled or shoplifted to afford the entry fee. And it was one of the few—if not the only—gay bar left that allowed dancing.

How the Stonewall Uprising Ignited the Modern LGBTQ Rights Movement

And what began with cents and quarters being hurled at police, soon became stones and bottles. As the police retreated inside, they began grabbing people and beating them, says Bryan, who aimed a kick at one officer before running away with another policeman in vain pursuit. When he returned, the police were trapped inside the building and - they later revealed - fearing for their lives.

Stonewall Riots

After one person attempted to escape It was closed by the It was one It had shows of female impersonators a term used The Louis N. The large plate glass windows A New York court decision, regarding the revoking of the After the State Liquor Authority revoked its The commercial space of this building held several lesbian bars from the s to the s, beginning with the Duchess in By at least through the s, the Sea Colony was one of the most popular lesbian bars in Greenwich Village.

June 28, 1969: Stonewall Riots

In , a year after the raid, activists led by Craig Rodwell commemorated its anniversary with what they called Christopher Street Liberation Day, now recognized as the first gay pride march. The events at Stonewall have been celebrated ever since, though only in recent years have people of color and transgender people been widely recognized for their pivotal role.