Asheville, NC Stonewall Commeration Weekend Parade #1.MOV

The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. They are frequently cited as the first instance in American history when people in the homosexual community fought back against a government-sponsored system that persecuted sexual minorities, and they have become the defining event that marked the start of the gay rights movement in the United States and around the world.

The Appalachian Shangri-La of Asheville, North Carolina holds an annual celebration to commemorate this historic event, with activities including speakers, dancers, workshops, and a grand parade through the downtown district, seen here. Several local non-profit organizations and companies sponsoring the event included Youth OutRight, Our Voice and the Montford Park Players.

(Video by Jeffrey DeCristofaro)