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The Hidden History of Pride

This month's stories demonstrate that LGBTQ+ history didn't begin with the Stonewall Riots, and doesn't end with a parade.

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The Hidden History of Pride

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We’re dedicating our June Hidden History newsletter to the less-examined facets of Pride, whether that means queer historical figures who stood in their truth or LGBTQ+ folks forming community in places that have traditionally rejected them. Read on for stories that thrill, tickle, agitate, and remind you that queer people are here and always have been.

1778 Baron Friedrich von Steuben was known for his bravery and the discipline and grit he brought to the American troops, but he was even more hardy than most soldiers realized.

Read at HISTORY: The Revolutionary War Hero Who Was Openly Gay

1800s Although the umbrella term of “Two Spirit” was only coined in the ’90s, many Native tribes have been living beyond the gender binary for centuries.

Read at KQED: 5 Two-Spirit Heroes Who Paved the Way for Today’s Native LGBTQ+ Community

1944 One of the most brilliant minds of the Harvard class of ’35, Reed Edwin Peggram met his soulmate on the eve of World War II and risked everything to stay by his side.
1978 The rainbow flag has been synonymous with Pride and the LGBTQ+ movement for years – but it wasn’t always that way.
Read at Smithsonian Magazine: Where Did the Rainbow Flag Come From, Anyway?
2015 In a subculture rife with misogyny and homophobia, a few enterprising players built a movement around the intersection of gamer culture and LGBTQ pride.

 

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You can check out all of our hidden history collections here!