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LGBT Pride Month

Annual commemoration begin June 1

The Postal Service dedicated a stamp in 2014 to honor Harvey Milk, one of the nation’s first openly gay elected officials.
The Postal Service dedicated a stamp in 2014 to honor Harvey Milk, one of the nation’s first openly gay elected officials.

June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month, which honors the contributions of LGBT individuals to the nation’s history.

LGBT Pride Month is held in June to commemorate the Stonewall uprising, when patrons at a gay-friendly tavern in New York City resisted a police raid. The June 1969 incident is seen as a turning point in the LGBT civil rights movement.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of another milestone: annual demonstrations in Philadelphia, where protestors marched in front of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell to call attention to a lack of basic legal protections for gays and lesbians. These demonstrations, called “annual reminders,” were held every Fourth of July from 1965-1969.

Today, LGBT Pride Month celebrations include parades, workshops and symposia, the Library of Congress notes. Memorials also are held during the month to honor LGBT community members who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS.

For more information, read the LGBT section on the Multicultural Resources site.

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