Gavin Newsom pardoned Rustin for his arrest in 1953 when he was found having sex with two men in a parked car in Pasadena.
He organized the 1963 March on Washington and was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in 2013 for his activism. Rustin was an LGBTQ and civil rights activist best known for being a key adviser to Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Burns / Getty Images Bayard Rustin (1912-1987)
According to a belated obituary published in 2019, The New York Times said Bentley, who died in 1960 at the age of 52, was " Harlem's most famous lesbian" in the 1930s and "among the best-known Black entertainers in the United States."Īmerican civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. Donning a top hat and tuxedo, Bentley would sing the blues in Harlem establishments like the Clam House and the Ubangi Club. via Wikimedia Commons Gladys Bentley (1907-1960)īentley was a gender-bending performer during the Harlem Renaissance. “Racism combined with the forces of stigma, phobia, discrimination and bias associated with gender and sexuality have too often erased the contributions of members of our community." Glady Bentley. Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, told NBC News. “As long as there have been Black people, there have been Black LGBTQ and same-gender-loving people,” David J. Photo by Steve Pisano courtesy Four Freedoms Park Conservancy.From 1960s civil rights activist Bayard Rustin to Chicago's first lesbian mayor, Lori Lightfoot, Black LGBTQ Americans have long made history with innumerable contributions to politics, art, medicine and a host of other fields. Visit the Giant Progress Pride Flag at Four Freedoms Park Ballet Hispánico at the Progress Pride Flag. Here, we cover some of the most intriguing Pride events of 2022 across New York City. With the relative re-emergence of social events, performances and concerts post-pandemic, LGBTQIA+ happenings during Pride month offer something for everyone looking for a chance to celebrate Pride with joy and renewed vigor. Obama presided over the nation when same-sex marriage became legal in the United States in June 2015 as a result of enduring efforts by the queer community and allies to forge a path toward marriage equality. 2013 marked the first year that a sitting President, Barack Obama, directly referenced the Stonewall riots – mentioning this momentous incident in his inaugural address.
While over the years Pride month has served as a source of joyous celebration, incidents of bigotry and hatred – such as the Orlando Pulse club shooting in 2016 – continue to serve as a stark reminder of the violence that the queer community continue to navigate. The New York Police Department clashed with local Gay and Trans patrons of the famous Stonewall Inn bar on June 28, 1969, arresting patrons under the auspices of ‘…congregating in an establishment without a liquor license.’ Many members of the queer community, including Trans men and women, drag queens, lesbians and gender non-conforming people gathered over the next six days at the Stonewall Inn to protest the community’s treatment at the hands of police, and one year later, ‘Pride’ festivities began culminating in honor of the protests which began the June 28th prior. It’s no secret that LGBTQIA+ Pride month has its origins in New York City queer history, with the Stonewall riots occurring in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village neighborhood in June 1969. With hot days and rooftop=ready nights, June 2022 looks set to host some incredible Pride-centric events, pop-ups and festivals.
Pride month 2022 brings New York City its first full roster of celebrations since 2019, and the queer community could not be happier.