The Stonewall Riots

Throughout the 20th century, police would routinely raid bars known to cater to gay men and lesbians, arresting and harassing the patrons. On June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn in New York's Greenwich Village. This time, the patrons fought back. As police officers escorted three drag queens into a paddy wagon, the crowd outside grew rowdy and started taunting and harassing the police, who ran for cover inside the bar. More police arrived but were unable to disperse the throngs of people throwing bricks and bottles and setting fire to trash cans. Disturbances continued for three days. The radical spirit of much 1960s activism was finding expression in the gay community.

In the wake of the Stonewall uprising, a new approach to gay- rights activism emerged: Instead of the relatively conservative tactics of the homophile organizations, new "gay liberation" groups like the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance took direct action, staging noisy demonstrations and disruptive "zaps" against homophobic politicians and publications. Stonewall marked a turning point for gays and lesbians in the United States, and communities across the country and around the world commemorate the event in annual gay and lesbian pride celebrations.