The history of the Pride Parade in Chicago goes back to the incident that incited marches for LGBTQ rights in the first place. Below are images of pride marches and parades over the decades along with some history about how this event has changed over time. Keep reading to learn all about it:
The earliest images of Chicago’s Pride Parade date back to 1985, which was the 16th anniversary of the city’s celebration of this multifaceted festival that marks the anniversary of the first march for LGBTQ rights in New York City.
Wikimedia Commons/Alan Light
The first march took place on June 28, 1969 outside of the Stonewall Inn in New York’s Greenwich Village, where there was a bar many in the community liked to frequent. It was less of a march and more of a riot as police stormed the bar and harassed the attendees by groping them and then lining them up by sex.
Flickr/Alan Light
The next year, Chicago and Los Angeles held their own LGBTQ demonstrations to mark the anniversary of the events at Stonewall. These images from 1985 closely represent what the marches in the 1970s looked like.
Wikimedia Commons/Alan Light
Though floats and banners were being used by 1985, being gay was still taboo among communities of any background, and most people were either part of the march or passing it by.
Wikimedia Commons/Alan Light
Captured in 1994, this image of the Chicago Pride Parade depicts the event as a demonstration with signs and people ready to make a statement.
Wikimedia Commons/QZAP.org
It is not until we get into the 2000s that this event seems to become the rainbow festival that it is today. This 2007 image displays exactly what you’d expect to find at a Pride Parade today.
Wikimedia Commons/Richie Diesterheft
The Chicago Pride Parade has only become more of a tradition and reason to party since. This 2013 image shows Blackhawks fans sending a parade float through the crowd to support LGBT Chicagoans.
Wikimedia Commons/puroticorico
While the first Pride march took place down the Magnificent Mile between Bughouse Square and Daley Plaza, by 1971, it was later moved to Uptown and Lakeview, including Boystown.
Wikimedia Commons/puroticorico2
After same-sex marriage was legalized in 2015, the Pride Parade became a real testament to love. Traditionally, the parade is a moment where many can feel accepted and like their true selves for a few hours or a day without judgment, but the changing of the law was validation that these lifestyles are not taboo, but instead are valid and deserving of exposure.
Wikipedia/Ashleyjoost
The 2015 Chicago Pride Parade attracted more than one million attendants and this city event has been known as one of the largest gatherings in the world for years.
Wikimedia Commons/André Lage Freitas
As the size of the crowd continues to swell, talk of moving the event back to downtown has started to stir. More businesses, organizations, and groups get involved each year, bringing floats, balloons, and so many other colors, songs, chants, and more to this extraordinary march.
Wikipedia/Ashleyjoost
Chicago’s annual Pride Parade takes place the final Saturday in June of each year. Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, it has been postponed this year. Typically, there is a month of festivities and events that lead up to this quintessential event that turns the city into all sorts of diverse colors, but people are still encouraged to celebrate through virtual events from home.
Wikimedia Commons/Orlandowood365
If you’ve ever been to the Pride Parade in Chicago or one in your own town, we’d love to hear from you. Please share your pictures and experiences with us below in the comments.
Wikimedia Commons/Alan Light
Flickr/Alan Light
Wikimedia Commons/QZAP.org
Wikimedia Commons/Richie Diesterheft
Wikimedia Commons/puroticorico
Wikimedia Commons/puroticorico2
Wikipedia/Ashleyjoost
Wikimedia Commons/André Lage Freitas
Wikimedia Commons/Orlandowood365
For more like this, check out these 13 oldest photos ever taken in Chicago, Illinois.
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