National march on washington for lesbian and gay rights
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From the Rally 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 Protest on Washington. They show the happiness, humor, and friendships that keep our community afloat even as we rally and fight for equity and protections from the greater society and government.”
From the exhibit:
The Second National March on Washington for Womxn loving womxn and Gay Rights was a monumental 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 Rally on Washington stands as an crucial 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 Execute 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
National March on Washington For Lesbian and Gay Rights Postcard
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National March on Washington for Female homosexual and Gay Rights
Among other purposes, marches on Washington, D.C. demonstrate communities acting on their right to peaceful protest, make seeable the commitment and volume of help 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 authentic 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
In the annals of Gay history, the year 1979 stands as a central moment marked by the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Queer 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 Homosexual community. Against a backdrop of social stigma and political hostility, the Rally on Washington served as a powerful testament to the strength, resilience, and unity of the Homosexual rights movement.
The National Protest on Washington for Womxn loving womxn and Gay Rights, held on October 14, 1979, was a watershed moment in the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights in the United States. Organized by a coalition of Diverse activists and advocacy groups, the march represented a turning point in the fight against discrimination and oppression based on sexual orientation and gender self. At a time when LGBTQ+ individuals faced widespread discrimination, harassment, and aggression, the march provided a platform for visibility, solidarity, and collective action. The sheer magnitude of the event was unprecedented, with estimates placing the attendance at over 100,000 participants. Peop