Stonewall uprising sparks modern LGBTQ rights movement

In the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, New York City police raid the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village. Patrons and onlookers fight back against the raid, initiating six nights of protests and confrontations with law enforcement. The uprising draws hundreds then thousands of people demanding gay power and liberation. The Stonewall uprising catalyzes the modern LGBTQ rights movement, leading to formation of the Gay Liberation Front and widespread activism. Organizers commemorate the anniversary with Christopher Street Liberation Day March in June 1970, the first Pride parade, establishing Stonewall as the symbolic turning point for LGBTQ activism.