Celebrate Gay Pride With A Look Back At The Very First Parades

On June 28, 1969, the infamous Stonewall Riots rocked New York, following a police raid of the Stonewall Inn. One year later, the LGBT communities of New York, L.A. and Chicago came together to stage large-scale parades celebrating gay pride in their respective cities. People came from all over the country to show their pride and support, marching with signs, banners, and their most authentic selves.

These photos originally ran in a 1970 printing of The Advocate. Check out these incredible shots and get a feeling for how far we've come.