National march on washington for gay and lesbian rights
Washington, DC has long been a stage for Gay activism. From the first “gay picket” in 1965 to the recent WorldPride 2025 celebration, marches in the capital have shaped the national conversation on queer rights. This roundup explores ten of the most pivotal moments, from protests and vigils to bookstore openings and everyday celebrations, that brought public presence, pride, and change to the streets of DC.
1965: Frank Kameny and the First White House Queer Protest
Frank Kameny and the Mattachine Society’s protest in front of the Ivory House in 1965 is known as “the first gay picket” and has to be the go-to march for any list, even if there were only a dozen people, and they only walked around in a circle. Society members wore (men): suits and ties or (women): panty hose and pumps and held signs saying things like “sexual preference is irrelevant to federal employment” and “Homosexual Citizens want to assist their country too.” Another of Kameny’s signs read: “Discrimination against homosexuals is as immoral as discrimination against Negroes and Jews.” These are in the Smithsonian’s collection, though (besides some outdated language) they ring pretty relevant today.
University Libraries - Main Library Gallery
From the Protest on Washington, 1987. Tracy Bjorgum Papers, LGBTQ Iowa Archives & Library, Iowa City.
Note from co-curator Madde Hoberg: “I adore the pictures from Tracy Bjorgum’s collection that exhibit him with friends at the Parade on Washington. They show the bliss, humor, and friendships that keep our community afloat even as we activism and fight for equity and protections from the greater society and government.”
From the exhibit:
The Second National March on Washington for Woman loving woman and Gay Rights was a substantial political rally in Washington, D.C. The rally took place on October 11, 1987. Due to its large turnout of around 750,000 participants and the focus on AIDS activism, this Pride on Washington stands as an significant part of LGBTQ history. Marchers came from all over the United States, including many participants from Iowa who marched together under a banner standing for the state.
The rally was the first time that Proceed UP, an activist group that advocated for people with AIDS, received national media coverage. Occurring at the height of the AIDS pandemic and during a time when there wa
In the annals of LGBTQ+ history, the year 1979 stands as a key moment marked by the National Rally on Washington for Lesbian and Homosexual Rights. This historic event drew over 100,000 individuals from across the Merged States, converging on the nation's capital to advocate for equality, visibility, and justice for the LGBTQ+ community. Against a backdrop of social stigma and political hostility, the March on Washington served as a powerful testament to the strength, resilience, and unity of the LGBTQ+ rights movement.
The National Pride on Washington for Lesbian and Same-sex attracted Rights, held on October 14, 1979, was a watershed moment in the struggle for Homosexual rights in the United States. Organized by a coalition of LGBTQ+ activists and advocacy groups, the march represented a turning signal in the defend against discrimination and oppression based on sexual orientation and gender identity. At a time when LGBTQ+ individuals faced widespread discrimination, harassment, and violence, the march provided a platform for noticeability, solidarity, and collective action. The sheer magnitude of the event was unprecedented, with estimates placing the attendance at over 100,000 participants. Peop
National March on Washington for Queer woman and Gay Rights
Among other purposes, marches on Washington, D.C. reveal communities acting on their right to peaceful protest, make seeable the commitment and volume of back behind a movement, and mobilize and nationalize otherwise more fractured local efforts to organize. Since the original march on October 14, 1979, the LGBTQ community and its allies have marched on the nation's capital on numerous occasions. Subsequent marches took place in 1987, 1993, 2000, and 2009.
The organizers of the first march identified the following Five Demands:
- Pass a comprehensive lesbian/gay rights bill in Congress.
- Issues a presidential executive order banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in the Federal Government, the military and federally-contracted private employment.
- Repeal all anti-lesbian/gay laws.
- End discrimination in lesbian mother and gay father custody cases.
- Protect gay and lesbian youth from any laws which are used to discriminate against, oppose and/or harass them in their homes, schools, jobs and social environments.
Selected Library Resources:
- Scott Barclay