Mentor/s
Jennifer McLaughlin
Participation Type
Poster
Abstract
The mid-20th century was a period of activism across both the political and social landscape of the United States, ranging from racism to sexism and homophobia. The 1960s were especially pivotal for these groups and this paper provides context on the movements of the LGBTQ+ community and the effects of the Stonewall Riots of June 1969 in lower Manhattan. Giving context to what life before the Stonewall Riots was like in the United States sets the stage for an accurate account of the Riots and events. Highlighting who was involved and the legacies that they left, such as Craig Rodwell and Martha P. Johnson, and their bouts of activism through this historic time for the community. This paper allowed me to question the purpose and cause in which so many people struggled and why change was needed at that very moment. Moving on from the accurate accounts, the paper moves into the progression of the Queer Movement in the 1970s and how the Stonewall Riots ignited something within thousands of people across the nation. From covering the emerging activist groups such as the GAA and GLF to college protests and even the Briggs Initiative, the 70s was a significant point in history for the LGBTQ+ community and paved the way for what was to come in the 1980s up until today. The rights of almost all members of the LGBTQ+ community currently fall on the line at the Capitol and I thought that this is an important topic to highlight and dive deeper into to educate others on the importance and acceptance of others. Having the ability to write this paper has reminded me to live life to the fullest and not ever let anyone tell you who you are supposed to be.
College and Major available
College of Arts and Sciences, History
Academic Level
Undergraduate student
Location
Digital Commons & West Campus West Building University Commons
Start Day/Time
4-25-2025 12:00 PM
End Day/Time
4-25-2025 2:00 PM
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Prize Categories
Most Scholarly Impact or Potential, Most Transformative for Social Justice
Riot, Resistance, and Revolution: The Stonewall Riots and the Progression of the Queer Movement in the 1970s
Digital Commons & West Campus West Building University Commons
The mid-20th century was a period of activism across both the political and social landscape of the United States, ranging from racism to sexism and homophobia. The 1960s were especially pivotal for these groups and this paper provides context on the movements of the LGBTQ+ community and the effects of the Stonewall Riots of June 1969 in lower Manhattan. Giving context to what life before the Stonewall Riots was like in the United States sets the stage for an accurate account of the Riots and events. Highlighting who was involved and the legacies that they left, such as Craig Rodwell and Martha P. Johnson, and their bouts of activism through this historic time for the community. This paper allowed me to question the purpose and cause in which so many people struggled and why change was needed at that very moment. Moving on from the accurate accounts, the paper moves into the progression of the Queer Movement in the 1970s and how the Stonewall Riots ignited something within thousands of people across the nation. From covering the emerging activist groups such as the GAA and GLF to college protests and even the Briggs Initiative, the 70s was a significant point in history for the LGBTQ+ community and paved the way for what was to come in the 1980s up until today. The rights of almost all members of the LGBTQ+ community currently fall on the line at the Capitol and I thought that this is an important topic to highlight and dive deeper into to educate others on the importance and acceptance of others. Having the ability to write this paper has reminded me to live life to the fullest and not ever let anyone tell you who you are supposed to be.
Students' Information
Eliza Lyons, History major, honors college grad:2025