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Stonewall Riots: 40 Anniversary Commemorates Birth of Gay Rights

by Jon Azpiri | June 28, 2009 at 11:27 am

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Sunday, June 28 marks the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, a landmark event in the Gay Rights movement. In honor of Stonewall, which took place after police raided the gay-friendly Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, the month of June has been declared Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. Also, several Gay Pride Parades are taking place around the world.

The Stonewall Riots were set off after police raided the popular gay bar in the early morning of June 28, 1969. The Stonewall had long been known as a safe place for gay men to socialize. That sense of safety was shattered after police raided the bar. Such crackdowns were common at the time, but this particular instance triggered nothing short of a riot. Over the coming days, people took to the streets of Greenwich Village to protest the police action at Stonewall. To many, the Stonewall riots are considered the birth of the Gay Rights movement.

Today, gay rights activists around the world are taking a moment to remember those who began a movement that has spread worldwide. One of the bartenders who was at the Stonewall Inn in 1969 still works there today.

"The younger generation needs to learn about gay pride," said the 70-year-old man, who calls himself Tree, and still serves drinks at the famous establishment.

"They have no idea the older generation went to jail for them," he told the Daily News on Saturday.

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arkartist

at 18:13 on June 28th, 2009

My partner and I visited New York in 2007. I took this photo of his reflection in the front window of the The Stonewall Inn.
We thought of the history that had happened at this place of the beginning of the GLBT movement.

arkartist has contributed a photo to this story.