New York has a long history of LGBT community building, activism, and culture which extends to the early history of the city.
1890s
Manhattan's
Bowery was known to host "fairy resorts", saloons or dance halls for male gays, (known as fairies at the time). These 'resorts' included the venues: Paresis Hall, Little Bucks, Manilla Hall, the Palm Club of
Chrystie Street, the Black Rabbit at 183 Bleecker Street, and The Slide at 157 Bleecker Street were the site of many gay and drag queen performers gaining recognition as entertainers in New York.
[1] The 1890s gay scene in the Bowery was described by
Earl Lind in her autobiography, Autobiography of an Androgyne, published in two volumes in 1919 and 1922.
1924
God of Vengeance (1907), written by
Sholem Asch opens as the first commercially produced play on
Broadway with a lesbian theme. Soon after, the theatre owner and the entire cast of 12 was arrested and found guilty of obscenity.
[2]
1926
Police raid on
Eve's Hangout on June 11 results in its closure. Its owner,
Eva Kotchever, was arrested, found guilty of obscenity and deported to Europe. She was assassinated at
Auschwitz during World War II.
1927
The
New York State Assembly amends a public-obscenity code to include a ban of depictions of gayness onstage in what is called 'the padlock bill.'
[3]
1939
New York City closes most of the city's best-known gay bars in preparation for the
1939 New York World's Fair.
1940
Courts rule
New York State Liquor Authority can legally close down bars that serve "sex variants."
[3]
1945
After many LGBT personnel were discharged from military service during
World War II, the Quaker Emergency Committee of New York City opens the first social welfare agency for gay people, serving young people arrested on same-sex charges. The group was disbanded in 1954 because of disagreement whether its goals were to 'cure' LGBT persons or to assist them with more basic social and welfare needs.
[4]
1956
New York Author
James Baldwin publishes the novel
Giovanni's Room, which features a gay male narrator. The book was well received by critics.
[5]
1962
The first known pro-LGBT radio program, a 90-minute special with
Randy Wicker airs on the station,
WBAI in New York City.
1967
April 21: New York decides that it can no longer forbid bars from serving gay men and lesbians after activists stage a "Sip-In" at Julius, a bar.
1967
Craig Rodwell opens the
Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop, the first gay bookstore in the U.S., in Greenwich Village.
1969
1970
Gay “
zaps” were first used against New York City Mayor
John Lindsay.
1971
The
Gay & Lesbian Switchboard of New York is founded.
1972
The Lesbian Herstory Archives is founded by members of the Gay Academic Union, and hosted in Joan Nestle's Upper West Side apartment.
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
2011
2015
2016
2018
{{
cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
link)
New York has a long history of LGBT community building, activism, and culture which extends to the early history of the city.
1890s
Manhattan's
Bowery was known to host "fairy resorts", saloons or dance halls for male gays, (known as fairies at the time). These 'resorts' included the venues: Paresis Hall, Little Bucks, Manilla Hall, the Palm Club of
Chrystie Street, the Black Rabbit at 183 Bleecker Street, and The Slide at 157 Bleecker Street were the site of many gay and drag queen performers gaining recognition as entertainers in New York.
[1] The 1890s gay scene in the Bowery was described by
Earl Lind in her autobiography, Autobiography of an Androgyne, published in two volumes in 1919 and 1922.
1924
God of Vengeance (1907), written by
Sholem Asch opens as the first commercially produced play on
Broadway with a lesbian theme. Soon after, the theatre owner and the entire cast of 12 was arrested and found guilty of obscenity.
[2]
1926
Police raid on
Eve's Hangout on June 11 results in its closure. Its owner,
Eva Kotchever, was arrested, found guilty of obscenity and deported to Europe. She was assassinated at
Auschwitz during World War II.
1927
The
New York State Assembly amends a public-obscenity code to include a ban of depictions of gayness onstage in what is called 'the padlock bill.'
[3]
1939
New York City closes most of the city's best-known gay bars in preparation for the
1939 New York World's Fair.
1940
Courts rule
New York State Liquor Authority can legally close down bars that serve "sex variants."
[3]
1945
After many LGBT personnel were discharged from military service during
World War II, the Quaker Emergency Committee of New York City opens the first social welfare agency for gay people, serving young people arrested on same-sex charges. The group was disbanded in 1954 because of disagreement whether its goals were to 'cure' LGBT persons or to assist them with more basic social and welfare needs.
[4]
1956
New York Author
James Baldwin publishes the novel
Giovanni's Room, which features a gay male narrator. The book was well received by critics.
[5]
1962
The first known pro-LGBT radio program, a 90-minute special with
Randy Wicker airs on the station,
WBAI in New York City.
1967
April 21: New York decides that it can no longer forbid bars from serving gay men and lesbians after activists stage a "Sip-In" at Julius, a bar.
1967
Craig Rodwell opens the
Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop, the first gay bookstore in the U.S., in Greenwich Village.
1969
1970
Gay “
zaps” were first used against New York City Mayor
John Lindsay.
1971
The
Gay & Lesbian Switchboard of New York is founded.
1972
The Lesbian Herstory Archives is founded by members of the Gay Academic Union, and hosted in Joan Nestle's Upper West Side apartment.
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
2011
2015
2016
2018
{{
cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
link)