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In 1999, President Bill Clinton officially declared June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month, setting aside the month as a time to recognize the LGBTQ community’s achievements and support the community. Pride Month had humble beginnings: It initially began as Gay Pride Day, observed annually on the last Sunday in June.Īs awareness increased, more activities and events were planned throughout the month and eventually, it evolved into the month-long observance, aptly named Pride Month. The Stonewall Inn was named a national monument by President Barack Obama in 2016. One year later, on the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, thousands of people flooded the streets of Manhattan in the Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day March, regarded as the first gay pride event ever.
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The resulting clash led to days of riots and protests, known as the Stonewall Uprising. On June 28, 1969, patrons of the Stonewall Inn, a popular bar with a diverse LGBTQ clientele, stood their ground after police raided the establishment. New York, in particular, had a rule that the simple presence of someone gay or gender queer counted as disorderly conduct, effectively outlawing gay bars.
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In the late 1960s, being openly gay was largely prohibited in most places. Pride Month is observed in June to honor the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, a touchstone event in LGBTQ history that laid the foundation for Pride. It is remembered today as being a turning-point in the movement for acceptance and equality. New York City’s Stonewall Inn was the site of a six day protest in 1969 against police harassment and discrimination against the LGBTQ community.