Today in GLBT history June 28, 1969 The Stonewall Riot

[Omaha Steve]

June 28, 1969 - A police raid of the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in New York City, turned violent as patrons and local sympathizers began rioting against the police. New York’s gay community had grown weary of the police department’s targeting of gay clubs and the protest soon expanding into neighboring streets. The Stonewall Riot was followed by several days of demonstrations in New York, and was the impetus for the formation of the Gay Liberation Front among other gay, lesbian, and bisexual civil rights organizations.

[saltpoint]

1. Needless to say, this story did not receive much attention in

my hometown newspaper when it took place but since then, any number of people know what happened, and why.

It is an amazing story, really, that of a sudden June evening human beings in a given bar finally decided to draw the line on these police raids.

I'm sure the police that evening expected to get away with one more raid, one more series of snide comments, one more gesture of contempt for the citizens of their city based on those citizens' sexual preference.

For everybody that night who threw chairs and stones and anything they could find, thank you. A truly healthy society lives and lets live, and that includes what other people do in the sack.

[ccharles000]

2. we have come far.

[Toasterlad]

3. We Had One of the Men Who Was There Speak at Our Company This Past Week.

I was REALLY looking forward to going, but I was so fucking busy on the day of the presentation, I completely forgot about it. :-(

Thanks indeed to all the trailblazers!