Navigate through six collections of stories from the past, present and future of Pride. Our collections, from “Life Before Stonewall” to “Love and Solidarity”, include interviews, photographs, letters, diaries and protest material.
A team of researchers and archivists from the LGBT Community Center collected, selected and curated the content for the Stonewall Forever collections and documentary film. The collections bring together materials from a variety of sources, including The Center’s National History Archive, multiple archives and public institutions, the Stonewall National Monument Oral History Project, and more.
LIFE BEFORE STONEWALL
While the Stonewall Riots are often considered the beginning of the LGBTQ rights movement, there was a great deal of activism before the riots. The following stories of early LGBTQ pioneers paint a picture of the fight against extreme discrimination in the years leading up to Stonewall.
THE STONEWALL RIOTS
In the early hours of June 28, 1969, New York police raided the Stonewall Inn. The patrons, led by drag queens and trans people, fought back against years of police harassment, igniting several days and nights of pivotal demonstrations. The following stories are just a few from the first night of the Stonewall Riots.
THE FIRST YEAR OF PRIDE
In the aftermath of the Stonewall Riots, LGBTQ activist groups mobilized, turning the momentum into lasting political action. The year that followed culminated in the first Christopher Street Liberation Day March, on June 28, 1970, paving the way for the modern Pride March. These stories are a part of that year-long journey.
50 YEARS OF PRIDE
Since the first Christopher Street Liberation Day March in 1970, New York’s annual Pride March has evolved and spread around the globe. It has been the spearhead for LGBTQ visibility and an annual celebration of everything the community has accomplished. These stories recall celebrations over 50 years of Pride.
ACTIVISM THEN AND NOW
The lasting legacy of the Stonewall Riots are the decades of activism and activists that Stonewall inspired. “Stonewall Means Fight Back!” These stories demonstrate that the spirit of activism is vital to the LGBTQ community.
LOVE AND SOLIDARITY
Being queer is a celebration of love, sexuality and empowerment, while recognizing that what it means to be queer is different for everyone. These stories celebrate the richness of the LGBTQ community and its allies, demonstrating how love and solidarity keep us moving forward, together.