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Dear Louie, please include this item for discussion by our members; I feel
that the queer scholar community may be able to give insight into this
problem of historical reporting.  In advance, my humble thanks for your
assistance and review of this issue.  Pride and Protest, Lee Morris. E-mail
to LMorris3@ua1vm.ua.edu.

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During the Stonewall 25 segment and briefing of the NGLTF Creating Change
Conference, the issues of inclusion, language, persons of color, and the
history of Stonewall 25 was discussed.  Several members of the persons of
color cacus took exception to a flier distributed during the luncheon plenary.
The flier discussed various aspects of the planned Stonewall 25 march planned
for 26 June 1994.  The flier contained a historical account of events
associated with the Stonewall 25 Rebellion.  I will attempt to re-type the
information so that our reading audience may review the prose and comment on
the issues regarding inclusion, language, persons of color and Stonewall 25.

The History Of The Stonewall Rebellion:

During the last weekend in June of 1969, police and Alcoholic Beverage Control
Board agents entered a gay bar--The Stonewall Inn, on Christopher Street, in
New York City.  Allegedly there to look for violations of the alcohol control
laws, they made the usual homophobic commetns and then threw the patrons out of
the bar, one by one.  Instead of quietly slipping away into the night, as we
had done for years, the people ousted from the bar remained on the scene.  The
rising commotion drew more people to the scene.  Despite the strong police
presence, street transvestites, hustlers, students and other patrons held their
ground and fought back.  Someone uprooted a parking meterand used it to barri-
cade the door.  The agents and police were trapped inside.  They wrecked the
place and called in reinforcements.  Their vehicles raced to the scene with
lights glaring and sirens blaring.  The crowd grew.  Someone set a fire.  More
people came.  For three days, people protested.  And for the first time, after
innumerable years of oppression, the Gay Power! chant rang out.

These events, known as the Stonewall Rebellion, were the catalyst for the forma
tion of the modern-day lesbian and gay movement.  Over the years, the event has
taken on a profound significance and is commemorated annually by lesbian and
gay communities around the world.  The Rebellion has been memoralized by the
incorporation of the very words "Stonewall" and "Christopher Street" into the
basic vocabulary of the lesbian and gay movement.

The first demonstration in commemoration of the Stonewall Rebellion was held in
New York in August 1969.  Marches were held in 1970 in New York and Los Angeles
on the anniversary of the Uprising--and thus, a tradition was born. Since then,
annual marches have been held in many cities in the US and in other countries.
For many of us, our first march was a turning point in our lives.  We came out,
we drew strength from those around us, we felt pride in our community.


The preceeding text is completely reproduced from "The History Of The Stonewall
Rebellion."  Any typographical errors are likely mine.  I would like to draw
your attention to the first paragraph, line eight.  The language used is very
neutral with regards to gender and persons of color.  The failure to mention
persons of color was found objectionable by some members of the persons of
color cacus.

My request is that our reading audience review and respond to this account
of the history of the stonewall rebellion.

I will preface the discussion by noting that 1. the origin of the prose is un-
certain (I suspect it may be written by Dubberman or D'Emillio--I'm still re-
searching this idea); 2. the brochure was reviewed by all appropriate SW 25
persons and committees -- the three co-chairs, the executive committee, and
the national steering committee (although, I really can not recall seeing the
document.); 3.  The National Stonewall 25 Organization has indicated its
regrets for the non-inclusive language and is preparing to take measures to
correct any inclusivity deficiencies (re-writing, historical research, etc).
These measures were announced the next day to the NGLTF Creating Change
Conference Plenary; 4.  Regarding the composition of Stonewall 25's re parity:
Co-Chairs -- 2 of the 3 co-chairs are persons of color, Executive Committee --
5 of 10 (? or half) are persons of color and or womyn, National Steering
Committee:  Parity -- as of Atlanta's meeting, when all steering committee
seats are filled, Stonewall 25 will meet parity.  Currently, a significant
number of steering committee seats are not filled yet.

Your responses would be appreciated by all persons involved with SW 25.
Comments, questions, clarifications are welcomed.  E-mail to me or call
me at 205 391 4679 (Stonewall 25 Alabama/National Student Contintuent Office).
I would like to hear of your responses.  As you might suspect, the matter was
a source of no small matter of concern for persons affiliated with SW25 (a
true understatement).

In Protest and Pride, Lee Morris

P.S.:  Tom, how's this for a more substantive discussion?  I'm for K.D. Lang
       myself -- but that's just one more humble opinion (on the light side.).