User:Juniper.styles/sandbox

History

In 1976, lesbian and gay Rhode Islanders organized their first pride march with about 75 people in attendence. Called the "76ers," these individuals marched through downtown Providence despite state and city leaders attempting to block the parade. However, organizers litigated for legal permission to march. This event marked an important step in formal organizing for LGBTQ rights in Rhode Island, establishing the foundation for the group that would become Rhode Island Pride. In the next four decades, participation grew annually from just under 100 in 1976 to over 60,000 at RI PrideFest in 2019. In RI, early gay pride celebrations were some of the first steps that eventually led to civil rights protections being extended to gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals in 1995, and to transgender individuals in 2001.

In the 1980's, the previous loosely organized, grassroots marches became more organized and yet less radical parades. Under pressure from conservative community members, the marches dropped "Liberation" and "Freedom" from their names, replacing them with the philosophy of "Gay Pride." However, the Greek lambda symbol and the pink triangle, which had been revolutionary symbols of the Gay Liberation Movement, were incorporated into the Gay Pride, or Pride, movement, providing some symbolic continuity with its more radical beginnings.

In 1997, the very first rainbow flag was flown over a government building in the state of RI. Soon after, in 2001, the Illuminated Night Parade that transformed the Pride celebration was launched.