The Stonewall Riots

by August Huber, Rosalind Lowen, Ryujin Mullins, and Nina Sukiasyan
​​​​​​​X Original Words, X:XX minutes of Multi-Media, X words in the Process Paper

When the tension between the LGBT+ community and the American society which persecuted it reached its height, the Stonewall Riots broke out in New York on June 28, 1969. Although the Stonewall Riots were one of many in a series of riots at police-raided gay bars, they hold significance as the first riot to break barriers of social silence that held the LGBT community back from organizing in large numbers so that they could promote change in laws and social norms that harmed LGBT people. Because Stonewall broke these barriers, many queer advocacy groups spawned which, although with mixed success, redefined the struggle for LGBT rights by acting more radical than Homophile movements before Stonewall. Moreover, Stonewall’s commemoration also birthed the Pride movement with the Christopher Street Liberation Day parade.