Each year, members of the LGBTQIA+ community gather at national events held across the nation in honor of Pride month. Pride initially began as a series of protests in response to a violent police raid that occurred at a New York City gay bar on June 28, 1969. Those first marches not only served as a catalyst for the advancement of legal rights and social acceptance, but they provided a safe space for the celebration of gender and sexual identity for members of the community. Interested in learning more about Pride Day and its impact throughout the years? Check out a few facts below and explore our Pride Day reading resources for more information.
- Pride began as a commemoration of the Stonewall Uprising, which occurred on June 28, 1969, when patrons of the popular N.Y.C. gay bar The Stonewall Inn defended themselves against a police raid.
by New York Public Library, Edmund White and Jason Baumann
- Gay rights activists Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera and Stormé DeLarverie all took part in the Stonewall Riots and continued the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights throughout their lives, becoming prominent advocates for the community.
The Book of Pride: LQBTQ Heroes Who Changed the World
by Mason Funk
- On June 28, 1970, the first Pride marches were held in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago in observance of the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising.
We Are Everywhere: Protests, Power, and Pride in the History of Queer Liberation
by Matthew Riemer and Leighton Brown
- Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician elected to office in California, commissioned Gilbert Baker to create a symbol for the LGBTQ+ community in 1978. Two multicolored flags were proposed, and both were revealed at the 1978 San Francisco Pride Parade.
Harvey Milk: The Politics of Hope
by Michael Woodford
- Each color on the original flag was assigned a meaning: Pink = Sexuality, Red = Life, Orange = Healing, Yellow = Sunlight, Green = Nature, Turquoise = Magic, Blue = Serenity and Violet = Spirit.
by Little Bee Books
- Since its original iteration, the Pride flag has been updated and other flags have been included to represent various identities and intersectional ties within the LGBTQIA+ community.
Find more books featuring members of the LQBTQIA+ community at your local Half Price Books and right here on HPB.com