The Stonewall Rebellion and Christopher Street Liberation Day by Valerie Etienne-Leveille The early years of the 1960s brought some progress in the gay rights movement, but LGBTQ individuals were still routinely subjected to harassment in gay establishments and businesses (1). The New York State Liquor Authority prohibited serving alcohol to gay individuals in public because the gathering of gay individuals was considered to trigger disorderly conduct (1)(2). On April 21st, 1966, members of the New York Mattachine Society (the first national gay rights organization) decided to stage a “sip-in” at the Julius Bar in Greenwich Village. The “Sip-in” was a spin on the peaceful “sit-in” protests that African- American activists organized throughout the southern states of the U.S. for equal Civil Rights during the 1960s. The members of the Mattachine Society who participated in the “Sip-in” shared their sexual orientation at the establishment and were denied service. The Mattachine Society sued the New York State Liquor Authority. The New York City Commission declared that gay individuals had the right to be served at any establishment, but no laws were overturned (1). In other words, the statement made by the New York City Commission did not improve the environment for the LGBTQ community. Many gay establishments continued to operate without a liquor license because it was near impossible to obtain such a license if the business catered to LGBTQ individuals. Many gay restaurants and bars were owned by the Mafia who made great profits providing services to their patrons. The Stonewall Inn establishment operated as an LGBTQ private club in January 1966 (4). The Inn was owned by the Mafia and it operated without a liquor license.
The Stonewall Inn- A National Historic Landmark (8). Photo courtesy of the Georgetown Law Library
The Stonewall Inn was more than just a gathering space. It was a large, inexpensive (the entrance fee was $ 3.00), and haven for the LGBTQ community including the homeless youths who ran away from home or were rejected by their families for being true to their identities (1)(5). The Stonewall Inn essentially served as the first New York LGBTQ community center. The New York Police department conducted frequent raids on gay businesses and establishments and were usually met with little resistance from the LGBTQ community. In the late evening of Friday, June 27th, 1969, the New York police officers raided Stonewall Inn a second time in the same week and were met with unexpected resistance when a crowd gathered around the police officers and the 13 people they arrested (6). As the crowd became more agitated and angrier, the police officers had to retreat in the Stonewall Inn and call for assistance. By the early morning hours of Saturday, June 28th, the crowd started to disperse while additional police officers arrived at the Stonewall Inn to restore order (7).
Crowd outside of the Stonewall Inn (3). Photo courtesy of History.com
VALERIE ETIENNE-LEVEILLE 1
The Stonewall Inn sustained many exterior and interior property damages such as broken windows, damaged jukebox, broken chairs, and others. The establishment still opened its doors the following night and more supporters showed up chanting slogans such as “We shall overcome” (3). Police officers were called to restore order and disperse the crowd. The Stonewall Rebellion continued for three more nights: June 29th, July 2nd, and July 3rd (5).
Photo of damaged jukebox, broken chair, and other equipment inside the Stonewall Inn (3). Courtesy of History.com
The Stonewall rebellion was a turning point in the LGBTQ rights movement because it empowered a young generation of activists who became more outspoken about fighting for equal rights. On June 28th, 1970, gay activists organized the Christopher Street Liberation March to commemorate the first anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion (2)(3). Thousands of supporters and members of the LGBTQ community marched up 6th Avenue toward Central Park, participating in America’s first Gay Pride parade. In the following years, the Annual Gay Pride parade will be replicated in other cities across the United States and many countries around the world.
References
1. History.com. (2021, May 27). Gay Rights. A&E Television Networks. https://www.history.com/topics/gay-rights/history-of-gay- rights
2. PBS.org. (n.d.). Milestones in the American Gay Rights Movement. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/stonewall-milestones-american-gay-rights-movement/
3. Pruit, S. (2009, June 13). What Happened at the Stonewall Riots? A timeline of the 1969 Uprising. History.com. https://www.history.com/news/stonewall-riots-timeline
4. Library of Congress. (n.d.). Stonewall Era and Uprising. https://guides.loc.gov/lgbtq-studies/stonewall-era
5. Stonewallvets.org. (n.d.). Stonewall: The Era, The Club, The People & The Rebellion. https://www.stonewallvets.org/
6. Franke-Ruta, G. (2013, January 24). An Amazing 1969 Account of the Stonewall Uprising. The Atlantic.com. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/01/an-amazing-1969-account-of-the-stonewall-uprising/272467/
7. Unknown. (1969, July 9-23). Stonewall: Riot, Rebellion, Activism and Identity. The Rat Subterranean News. https://stonewallhistory.omeka.net/items/show/56
8. Georgetown Law Library. (n.d.). A Brief History of Civil Rights in the United States: The Stonewall Riots (June 28, 1969). https://guides.ll.georgetown.edu/c.php?g=592919&p=4182235
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