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happy pride month! Pride was originally a riot between an NYPD raiding party and black, latin-american trans people and Drag queens.
the first punch thrown at stonewall was by Stormé DeLarverie a butch lesbian and one of the key instigators who spurred the crowd into action, other key leaders of the riot include Marsha P. Johnson a black, trans drag queen and Sylvia Rivera a Latina-American trans woman
BEING LGBTQ+ IN THE SUMMER OF '69
there are routine police raids on gay bars and homosexuality is going to be illegal in NYC until 1980. Every week an estimated average of 100 people (mainly men) are arrested on charges of "gross indecency" and "public lewdness"
Judy Garland, gay icon, has just died and is now lying in a state funeral home in fashionable upper west Manhattan.
Downtown the Stonewall Inn is described as "a terrible place where something great happened"
Downtown the Stonewall Inn is described as "a terrible place where something great happened"
Run by Fat Tony, the mafia don of the Genovese Family, Staff water down drinks and overcharge and occasionally extort their patrons yet this is one of the few safe places for LGBTQ+ folk. Regular Mark Segal says "you could kiss..more importantly you could dance your ass off"
THE RIOT AND THE FOLLOWING MONTHS- A TIMELINE
JUNE 24th, 1969.
the tuesday before the riots begin, the police raid Stonewall, confiscating some illegal liquor and arrest some employees.
NYPD plans a raid for following friday, in hopes of shutting the bar down for good.
the tuesday before the riots begin, the police raid Stonewall, confiscating some illegal liquor and arrest some employees.
NYPD plans a raid for following friday, in hopes of shutting the bar down for good.
JUNE 27th-28th, 1969.
SOMETIME AFTER MIDNIGHT.
six male and two female plainclothes cops enter Stonewall, singling out not only employees but also drag queens and other cross-dressing patrons (dressing as a member of the opposite sex "masquerading" is a crime in NYC
SOMETIME AFTER MIDNIGHT.
six male and two female plainclothes cops enter Stonewall, singling out not only employees but also drag queens and other cross-dressing patrons (dressing as a member of the opposite sex "masquerading" is a crime in NYC
more NYPD officers arrive by three patrol cars and on foot. released bar patrons join crowd of onlookers as police van arrives and queens, cross-dressers and employees are loaded in.
EARLY HOURS OF JUNE 28TH.
according to witness reports, the crowd erupts after a woman dressed in masculine clothes (believed to Stormé DeLarverie) is roughed up by police because she complained her handcuffs were too tight.
according to witness reports, the crowd erupts after a woman dressed in masculine clothes (believed to Stormé DeLarverie) is roughed up by police because she complained her handcuffs were too tight.
The reports are muddled but Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera will either throw bricks or punches.
According to historian and author David Carter "the resistance hierarchy" started with the homeless gay kids who saw Stonewall as the only safe place in their lives.
AROUND 4AM JUNE 28TH 1969.
the growing mob has forced the original raiding party to barricade themselves inside the inn. some rioters use a parking metre to break down the doors, others throw beer bottles and trash or makeshift firebombs.
the growing mob has forced the original raiding party to barricade themselves inside the inn. some rioters use a parking metre to break down the doors, others throw beer bottles and trash or makeshift firebombs.
Sirens announce the arrival of more police officers and the Tactical Patrol Force, NYC'S riot police, as the officers march down Christopher street they are outsmarted by protesters who run away, circle the short blocks of the Village and come back up behind them.
SOMETIME AFTER 4AM.
things have quieted down, the only injuries reported from the first night of rioting are from police.
things have quieted down, the only injuries reported from the first night of rioting are from police.
JUNE 28TH-29TH 1969.
despite the rioting the night before, the Stonewall Inn reopens, crowds gather chanting "we will overcome" and "gay power" police and an even larger group of TPF officers arrive to "restore the peace" they will beat and tear gas several members of the crowd.
despite the rioting the night before, the Stonewall Inn reopens, crowds gather chanting "we will overcome" and "gay power" police and an even larger group of TPF officers arrive to "restore the peace" they will beat and tear gas several members of the crowd.
JUNE 29TH-JULY 1ST 1969.
over the next several nights gay activists will continue to gather near the Stonewall, taking advantage of this to spread information and build the gay community. isolated skirmishes between the police and the crowd will replace the riots of the weekend.
over the next several nights gay activists will continue to gather near the Stonewall, taking advantage of this to spread information and build the gay community. isolated skirmishes between the police and the crowd will replace the riots of the weekend.
Due to a less confrontational mood being held by all parties involved.
JULY 2ND 1969.
TW///F SLUR.
responding to the Villages Voice's use of the phrase "forces of faggotry" when covering the riots, protesters will swarm the papers buildings, some will call for it to be burned down. when police push back, rioting will start again,
TW///F SLUR.
responding to the Villages Voice's use of the phrase "forces of faggotry" when covering the riots, protesters will swarm the papers buildings, some will call for it to be burned down. when police push back, rioting will start again,
this time concluding by midnight.
The New York Daily News will run the headline "Homo Nest Raided, Queen Bee's Are Stinging Mad" whilst the New York Times on June 30th will run a small article on page 22 titled "Police Again 'Rout' Village Youths"
JUNE 28TH 1970.
on the first anniversary of the raid the year before, New York gay activists have organised the Christopher Street Liberation March to cap off the first Gay Pride Week. as several hundred people begin to march up 6th avenue towards central park
on the first anniversary of the raid the year before, New York gay activists have organised the Christopher Street Liberation March to cap off the first Gay Pride Week. as several hundred people begin to march up 6th avenue towards central park
they will be joined by supporters from the crowd until the procession encompasses thousands of people and spans 15 city blocks.
i made this thread to educate any of my fellow LGBTQ+ members who may not know what happened at stonewall and what kick started the growing movements which gave us the rights we have today and is continuing to fuel the growing fight for equality.
