This coming Sunday, June 28, is the 50th anniversary of the first Pride March, originally called “Christopher Street Liberation Day” when it was held in 1970. The March was held to commemorate the first anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising in New York City, and was celebrated in cities around the United States. Although these marches were preceded by other protests and demonstrations in the 1960s, the Christopher Street Liberation Day March became the model around the world for the Pride celebrations we know today. This year, in light of the COVID-19 crisis, LGBTQ communities are finding innovative ways to mark the anniversary with both online Pride celebrations and programs and demonstrations that recognize the contributions and challenges faced by LGBTQ communities of color. Starting tonight, the Library is marking this anniversary with a week of special programs on the history of the Pride March and the role of people of color in LGBTQ activism. We are also excited to announce a major expansion of our online resources, with the addition of over 3,000 historic photos of LGBTQ activism by Diana Davies, including shots of the very first Pride March. You can also find LGBTQ book lists, learn about the impressive history of employment rights activism, and find guides to doing research in our extensive LGBTQ history collections. We hope you will join us in celebrating Pride Month.

Jason Baumann

Susan and Douglas Dillon Assistant Director for Collection Development and Coordinator of the Library’s LGBTQ Initiative
The New York Public Library

This Week! LIVE from NYPL: Pride Across Generations

50 Years of Marching for Pride

Monday, June 22 | 8 PM
Join LIVE from NYPL for a series of events that will examine Pride and the fight for liberation throughout the years. The organizers of some of the first Pride marches, Ellen Broidy and Joyce Hunter, will speak with Eric Marcus, host of the Making Gay History podcast, to look back at the evolution of these marches.

Pride of the 80s & 90s

Tuesday, June 23 | 8 PM
Artists and activists including Andrea Jenkins, Bill T. Jones, Toshi Reagon, and Pamela Sneed speak with moderator Kia LaBeija about their reflections on the various stances of their respective generations, the rise of identity politics, and the day-to-day realities of creativity and activism within that environment.

Pride 2020: Reframing Liberation

Wednesday, June 24 | 8 PM
 In a conversation that considers what intersectionality, allyship, and mobilization mean today, Lama Rod Owens speaks with creative queer millennials, including Ianne Fields Stewart and Fran Tirado, organizers of the recent Black Trans Lives Matter protest in Brooklyn, about the legacies of their ancestors, the challenges of today, and their pride in their identities.

Pride at the Library

Remembering the First New York City Pride March

Inspired by the enthusiastic response to Diana Davies’s photojournalism during NYPL’s Stonewall 50: Love & Resistance exhibition last year, the Library is pleased to announce that thousands of additional images by Davies are now available online in our Digital Collections.

The Fight for LGBTQ Employment Rights

Last week’s landmark Supreme Court ruling on LGBTQ employment rights, Bostock v. Clayton County, is the culmination of over 60 years of LGBTQ civil rights activism. This history is represented extensively in the Library’s collections. To learn more about the history of LGBTQ employment rights, you can consult NYPL's collections and check out our recommended titles, some of which were researched at The New York Public Library.

Stonewall & Beyond: Researching LGBTQ History with NYPL's Online Resources

While Stonewall was a pivotal point in LGBTQ history, there were other significant LGBTQ movements leading up to it, and many that followed. If you are interested in researching LGBTQ history, The New York Public Library provides excellent electronic resources to expand your knowledge of the Stonewall Riots, the groups that helped set the groundwork for revolution, and the movements that followed. 

New Pride Reads

In honor of Pride Month, the Library has a new list of reading recommendations highlighting LGBTQ voices. Check out these contemporary titles right now on the Library’s free e-reader app, SimplyE.  

Shop Pride at the Library

June 28 marks the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, the catalyst for the modern fight for LGBTQ rights in the United States. That anniversary has blossomed into Pride Month, an opportunity to celebrate the progress that has been made and the people who fought for it. Explore books documenting the movement and get accessories to show off your pride. 

For Kids & Teens

Begin Your Reading Adventure

This year, the Library’s Summer Reading program is bigger than ever. Track your reading progress online to earn badges, complete fun at-home activities, and find fantastic book recommendations to keep you engaged all summer long. Plus, beginning June 29, the Library is expanding its Summer Reading program with a six-week virtual summer camp that you won't want to miss. See what else we have in store and learn how you can get updates on all things Summer Reading.

Download Shuri: A Black Panther Novel

Visit Wakanda and the world of Black Panther—from home! The Library is proud to offer, for a limited period, universal access to the e-book edition of Shuri: A Black Panther Novel, by New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone, through our free e-reader app, SimplyE. Join Shuri—scientist, warrior, princess—on a quest to save Wakanda in this all-new adventure. 

First-Ever Virtual Anti-Prom 

For 15 years, NYPL's Anti-Prom has provided an alternative safe space for students of a range of orientations and gender identities to celebrate themselves. This year, NYPL hosted its first virtual Anti-Prom ever. Check out 90s-inspired designs dreamed up by students from the High School of Fashion Industries, a timeline of Anti-Proms past, recommended reads, and more to kick off your own Anti-Prom celebration from home.

Community Resources

College & Career Pathways Video Guides

Whether you're looking for college guidance, career readiness, or adulting skills, The New York Public Library's College and Career Pathways program is here to help! Check out our informational videos to give you guidance on different topics that will help you prepare for what comes after high school. 

NYPL's Virtual Career Fair

Thursday, June 25 | 12 Noon
NYPL's business librarians are partnering with Workforce1 Centers from across the five boroughs for a virtual career fair. Workforce1 helps New Yorkers prepare for, and connect to, jobs across New York City and in every sector of the economy. Register online to receive a link to participate, plus sign up to receive a recording and other materials from the session.

Webinar: Turn Your Vision into Reality—Lead Yourself & Others in This "New Normal"

Thursday, June 25 | 6 PM
As our world reopens and we move into a "new normal," you'll need to forge a fresh vision of the future and be equipped, empowered, and inspired to communicate it to those around you. Join us for an online chat with leadership consultant Todd Cherches, who will share his world-class expertise in visual elements and leadership ideas, condensed into his concept of "VisuaLeadership." Space is limited; register to secure your spot. Presented as part of NYPL's Small Business: Reopen and Rebound series.

June Book Club Livestream: Emily St. John Mandel

Tuesday, June 30 | 7 PM
Thousands of New Yorkers are reading Emily St. John Mandel's The Glass Hotel as part of our "Get Lit with All of It" book club with WNYC. Join us on Tuesday, June 30, for a special livestream discussion and audience Q&A with the author and All of It host Alison Stewart. Find out how you can join in—plus, stay tuned for details about our July book club pick!

Teaching Anti-Racism: Racial Equity Resources

If you and your children or students are discussing the history of racism, the context for the current uprisings, and anti-racist activism, The New York Public Library can support you. With book lists, discussion questions, and external resources, the Library can help you and your kids navigate difficult conversations and better understand our world.

New & Noteworthy

The Librarian Is In, Ep. 166: Trying to Figure Out How We Got Here

This week, Frank and Rhonda share what they've been reading and reveal their next book club pick. Instead of choosing a selection from NYPL's 125 Books We Love List, Frank and Rhonda have chosen a title from the Schomburg Center’s Black Liberation Reading List. Tune in to hear more!

Reading List: Trans, Nonbinary & Gender Nonconforming Voices 

Whether you are looking for stories you can relate to, books to help you learn more about trans and gender nonconforming friends and family, diverse titles to broaden your understanding of our city and community, or just a fun, romantic, or educational read, we have something at the  Library for you.

Courage, Strength & Determination: E-Books to Honor World Refugee Day

On June 20, the world observed the annual United Nations’ World Refugee Day (#WithRefugees). The chosen theme for 2020 is: Every Action Counts. It's a reminder that everyone can and should be a part of creating a more just society, inclusive communities, and equal opportunities in the world—a sentiment and call to action we need now more than ever.

Cultural Passport: Children's Books Featuring Black Fathers

To celebrate Father's Day during a time of national attention to Black culture and life, Schomburg Center librarian Troy Belle put together this reading list featuring Black dads and reflected on his own experiences with fatherhood.

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