June 30, 2024

The Stonewall Riots

This year’s event celebrated the 40th anniversary of Heritage of Pride and the 55th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising. According to NYC Pride organizers, approximately 2.5 million people attended the event.

On Sunday, June 30, 2024, hundreds of thousands of people filled the streets of New York City for the 54th Annual Pride Parade. The theme of this year’s event was “Reflect. Empower. Unite.”

The march took place between 25th Street and Fifth Avenue. Marchers proceeded south on Fifth Avenue before turning west on Eighth Avenue. After crossing Sixth Avenue, the march continued along Christopher Street, passing the Stonewall National Monument. The celebration turned north on Seventh Avenue, passed the New York City AIDS Memorial, and ended at the intersection of 16th Street and Seventh Avenue in Chelsea.

Pride 2024 Theme:
"Reflect. Empower. Unite"

This year’s theme was “Think. Empower. Unite.”

The organizers chose this theme to emphasize the importance of the NYC Pride March as a meeting point for queer freedom and joy.

This theme encourages individuals, advocates, community leaders, and allies to reflect on the challenges they have overcome together and to take action to shape our collective future.

“This year’s theme is a call to action and a necessity. As we reflect on our past victories and challenges, we must empower our community to continue driving change and unite against the forces that seek to erase us. Unity is crucial for our survival at this time. Our theme calls us all to action,” said NYC Pride Co-Chair Kazz Alexander.

For more than a half-century, the annual marches have been an opportunity to demand action on specific issues such as the AIDS epidemic and same-sex marriage while also serving as a public celebration.

What are Pride Parades and Pride Month?

Every year, the last week of June is celebrated as LGBT+ Pride Week around the world. Due to the celebrations and events that take place throughout the month, June is also known as Pride Month. Although the dates vary from country to country, a large and festive Pride Parade is held during the last week of June, with the participation of the entire LGBT+ community. The purpose of Pride Month, its events, and the parade can be summarized as increasing the visibility of the LGBT+ community worldwide, strengthening their rights struggle and solidarity, and celebrating their shared history.

History of the Pride Parade:
The Stonewall Riots

The Pride Parade was first held in 1970 in Manhattan, New York, on the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, with 2,000 people participating. The Stonewall Riots, which began on June 28, 1969, in New York and lasted four days, are considered a turning point in LGBT+ rights history. This first Pride Parade was organized under the leadership of feminist bisexual Brenda Howard.

At that time, LGBT+ rights were very weak not only in the US but also around the world. Being openly LGBT+ meant being excluded from society in every area. At that time, bars and cafes did not serve LGBT+ people, and such establishments were constantly raided by the police, with LGBT+ people being arrested and registered. On June 28, 1969, the Stonewall Inn bar in Manhattan was raided, as it often was, and for the first time, a group openly resisted the police, shouting, “We are not ashamed to be gay.” The resistance grew, and during the four-day uprising, hundreds of people were injured and arrested. This resistance became known as the Stonewall Uprising and marked a turning point in the LGBT+ rights movement.

The Stonewall Inn, which closed after the incident, was later restored and reopened in 2007. In 2016, it was designated a national monument by then-US President Barack Obama.