Remembering Stonewall:
55 years since the Stonewall Riots

To support our amazing pride season in 2024, Out North East is launching a new heritage project which will connect all three festivals.

At the heart of Pride is a celebration of community - so what better way to mark Out North East’s three major Prides in the region than to create a memorable and meaningful legacy.

We are creating events in Sunderland, Gateshead and South Tyneside and while each has their own distinct programme, we are bringing everyone together in a unique heritage project.

Emerald 55 commemorates the 55th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and how this moment sparked a political and social movement which is often seen as a watershed moment in LGBTQ+ history.

We are gathering responses to one simple question - What does Pride mean to me?

Is it a celebration of your personal journey, a particular memory or a reminder of when someone publicly came out?

It may be a response to a political statement or a reaction to specific event - what ever it is we want you to share your stories.

The name of the project is drawn from a range of sources. As we’ve previously mentioned, it’s 55 years since the Stonewall Riots, emerald is the gemstone for 55^th celebrations and also links with Judy Garland - not only because of the emerald city in the Wizard of Oz - but also because of her status as an LGBTQ+ icon. Her death in 1969 was just days before the Stonewall riots, meaning emotions were high among the gay community and is often seen as one of the sparks which lit the flames.

Stonewall is a landmark in LGBTQ+ history - often seen as the catalyst for the modern gay rights movement. Against a backdrop of constant persecution for the “crime” of being gay or being considered to have a mental disorder, LGBTQ+ people were criminalised in most states in the USA.

On 28 June 1969 the patrons of the Stonewall Inn at Greenwich Village, New York decided the discrimination and recrimination they suffered at the hands of the police needed to stop - and they hit back.

Those bars and clubs which dared to serve the community were ruthlessly targeted by law enforcement - and so it was at the Stonewall Inn until that fateful day. When the police raided the Stonewall Inn, attempting to arrest employees and patrons for violating laws prohibiting same-sex relations, cross-dressing, and serving alcohol to LGBTQ+ individuals, members of the community decided it was time to make a stand.

Deciding that enough was enough, the patrons decided to fight back - fuelled by years of frustration and anger. They resisted attempts by the police to arrest them, refusing to go quietly.

Storme DeLarverie, a proud lesbian, drag king and lifelong gay activist is widely acknowledged to have thrown the first punch in protest, though drag performers and trans activists Marsha P Johnson and Sylvia Rivera soon became the public faces of the riots. Over the following days, hundreds of people showed their solidarity and also fought back, challenging the police for their strong arm tactics.

The Stonewall Riots lasted for several nights, serving as a turning point in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. The demonstrations garnered significant media attention and became a rallying cry for the emerging gay rights movement. Activists and community members mobilised, forming numerous advocacy organisations and demanding an end to the discrimination faced by the LGBTQ+ community.

The Stonewall riots laid the foundation for what was to come – the formation of organisations such as the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance which championed the right of LGBTQ+ people. It was also the catalyst for a worldwide movement for equal rights, leading to the establishment firstly in the USA and then internationally of the annual Pride Festivals.

Through those actions of a handful of brave people at Stonewall, the position of the LGBTQ+ community worldwide changed - and continues to do so. No longer were people prepared to lurk in the shadows but they stood up and were happy to be counted, fighting against discrimination and demanding equality.

The Stonewall Riots were a pivotal moment, not only in LGBTQ+ history but also in the broader struggle for civil rights. The movement has since grown, achieving significant victories such as the legalisation of same-sex marriage and anti-discrimination legislation in many countries. However, the fight for LGBTQ+ rights remains ongoing, with continued challenges and obstacles to overcome. It is against this backdrop that we are creating Emerald 55 - to celebrate what has gone before on a personal level and to highlight that the fight isn’t over yet.

The communities of Sunderland, South Tyneside and Gateshead are being invited to answer that question and can do so online or through a whole series of events such as coffee mornings, open days, satellite events, community workshops, schools and colleges. 

Contributors can use any medium they choose to take part - you might want to write a letter, poem, record a video a create a piece of art - we are happy for any form of expression.

All the information will then be collated and form an exhibition which will be displayed in Sunderland, South Tyneside and Gateshead during LGBTQ+ history month in February 2025. The collection will then be gifted to each local authority for their archives.

We’ll be posting dates and times for Emerald 55 gatherings. In the meantime, if you’d like to submit your thoughts and ideas or have any questions, get in touch:

What Makes You Proud?

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