The
Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the
Stonewall Inn, in the
Greenwich Village neighborhood of
New York City. They are frequently cited as the first instance in American history when
gays and
lesbians fought back against a government-sponsored system that persecuted homosexuals, and they have become the defining event that marked the start of the
gay rights movement in the United States and around the world. The Stonewall Inn, at the time, was owned by the
Mafia. It catered to an assortment of patrons, but it was known to be popular with the most marginalized people in the gay community:
transvestites, effeminate young men,
hustlers, and homeless youth. Police raids on gay bars were routine in the 1960s, but officers quickly lost control of the situation at the Stonewall Inn, and attracted a crowd that was incited to
riot. Tensions between
New York City police and gay residents of Greenwich Village erupted into more protests the next evening, and again several nights later. Within six months, two gay activist organizations were formed in New York, concentrating on confrontational tactics, and three newspapers were established to promote rights for gays and lesbians. Within a few years, gay rights organizations were founded across the U.S. and the world. Today Gay Pride events are held annually throughout the world toward the end of June to mark the Stonewall riots. (
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