Pride Month (June): History

The last Sunday in June was initially celebrated as "Gay Pride Day," but the actual day was flexible. In major cities across the nation the "day" soon grew to encompass a month-long series of events. The first Pride march in New York City was held on June 28, 1970, on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. In June 1999, President Bill Clinton declared the anniversary of the Stonewall riots every June in America as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. In 2011, President Barack Obama expanded the officially recognized Pride Month to include the whole of the LGBT community. Today, celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts. LGBTQ Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world. Memorials are held during this month for those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.

New York Times documentary 2019

“The Stonewall You Know Is a Myth. And That’s O.K.” is a 10-minute film that explores the meaning and the myths surrounding the night, and features interviews with participants in the uprising, historians of L.G.B.T.Q. history and contemporary queer activists.

♦This film contains profanity. Viewer discretion is advised ♦