On this day, June 28, in 1969, the Stonewall Riots began in New York City, considered the inspiration of the gay rights movement.
The Stonewall Inn was a gay bar in Greenwich Village. Police raided the place, claiming it was selling alcohol without a license and being used by its Mafia-backed owner to blackmail gay patrons who worked on Wall Street.
Gay bars had been regularly raided before. New York had laws prohibiting homosexuality in public. This time, the customers fought back.
The rebellion continued for three days. Between 500 and 1,000 people came out to protest, march and set fire to trash cans.
The uprising turned out to be the birth of a movement.
On the one-year anniversary, the first gay pride parades were held in cities around the country.
