Archives are a wonderful thing. Village Voice, June/July 1969

Archives are a wonderful thing. The following was published in the Village Voice as reported by Lucian Truscott IV, who described the events in a front page article headlined, “Gay Power Comes to Sheridan Square.”

“Suddenly, the paddy-wagon arrived and the mood of the crowd changed. Three of the more blatant queens–in full drag–were loaded inside, along with the bartender and doorman, to a chorus of catcalls and boos from the crowd. A cry went up to push the paddy wagon over, but it drove away before anything could happen…The next person to come out was a dyke, and she put up a struggle–from car to door to car again again. It was at that moment that the scene became explosive. Limp wrists were forgotten. Beer cans and bottles were heaved at the windows, and a rain of coins descended on the cops.”I for one would rather take an eyewitness account for being the real deal rather than an editor of a half-baked men’s skin flick magazine in Hartford Ct. Also check out the Stonewall Vets page which can be found at www.stonewallvets.org. Over on the left click on Stonewall the Era: then click on The People. What a wonderful photo of Daria Moden drag queen beautiful in 1969 at the Stonewall Inn. Let’s salute all of our gallant Stonewall Vets each and everyone of them and shower them with our love and gratitude.

I have always love this quote and idea from Neil Miller (Out of the Past) “When their revolution arrived, it was incredible how quickly it swept all before it, leaving the tortured and apologetic past far behind.”