The Early Liberation Movement

This flyer, most likely from the mid- late 1970's discusses the Stonewall Rebellion and reinforces the need for continued action to counteract the oppression of class society. This radical sentiment warns of the fallacy of attempting to work within the "system" to achieve liberation. The movement continues to struggle with these contradictions and controversies to this day.

The New York Civil Liberties Union offers its advice in a neat and handy pamphlet outlining demonstration guidelines for New York State.

The Mattachine Society provided this pamphlet to members of the community, outlining the rights and the regulations surrounding arrest for homosexual behavior.

After the acquittal of Dan White for the murder of Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone in San Francisco, protests erupted and police targeted the Castro district gay bars.  This flyer takes issue with the desire to work within the legal system to achieve gay rights. The sentiments expressed demonstrate an impassioned plea for something more than mere tolerance.

This account of the Stonewall Rebellion provides a clear articulatoin of the narrative that would become the foundation for collective memory in the LGBT community surrounding the event.

This flyer outlines the accomplishments of the Mattachine Society and its prescription for the future of the "Homosexual Revolution."  In retrospect, it is heartening to see that the majority of the legal protections and rights that Mattachine championed have become a reality, however it is unclear to what extent the Mattachine ideology furthered the cause or if the revolutionary, militant activism of the early 1970's achieved greater results.  The debate will surely continue.

A Mattachine Sociiety flyer, probably from 1970 which tries to draw parallels between the Society and radical militant groups. For the next few years Mattachine remained influential in the fight for Gay rights, but ultimately disbanded, succeeded by Gay Activists Alliance and eventually the Human Rights Campaign.

A Mattachine Society flyer from the summer of 1969 calling for members of the community to join a "Hang Out" demonstration in the West Village in order to work with the broader community to keep peace. Mattachine demonstrates again that it is the mediator with the straight establshment rather than the champion of the radical liberation movement.