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It was founded by Henry Gerber in Chicago, it was the first gay rights association but it was disbanded soon after due to political pressure.
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Harry Hay established the first sustained gay rights organization in order to change people views and prejudices of gay people.
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The United States Supreme Court rules in favor of the First Amendment rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. The suit was filed after the U.S. Postal Service and FBI declared the magazine obscene material, and it marks the first time the United States Supreme Court rules in favor of homosexuals.
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Illinois repeals its sodomy laws, becoming the first U.S. state to decriminalize homosexuality.
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The board of the American Psychiatric Association votes to remove homosexuality from its list of mental illnesses.
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An estimated 75,000 people participate in the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. LGBT people and straight allies demand equal civil rights and urge for the passage of protective civil rights legislature.
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The Democratic Rules Committee states that it will not discriminate against homosexuals. At their National Convention on August 11-14, the Democrats become the first major political party to endorse a homosexual rights platform.
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Wisconsin becomes the first U.S. state to outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
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Vermont becomes the first state in the U.S. to legalize civil unions and registered partnerships between same-sex couples.
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The Matthew Shepard Act is passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama on October 28th. The measure expands the 1969 U.S. Federal Hate Crime Law to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.
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President Obama states his administration will no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act, which bans the recognition of same-sex marriage.
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With a 5-4 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, the U.S. Supreme Court declares same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states.
