Bill Text: DE SR24 | 2025-2026 | 153rd General Assembly | Draft
Bill Title: Designating June 28, 2026, As “stonewall Uprising Remembrance Day” In The State Of Delaware.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Engrossed) 2026-06-18 - Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES [SR24 Detail]
Download: Delaware-2025-SR24-Draft.html
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SPONSOR: |
Sen. Pinkney |
DELAWARE STATE SENATE
153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 24
DESIGNATING JUNE 28, 2026, AS “STONEWALL UPRISING REMEMBRANCE DAY” IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE.
WHEREAS, members of this legislative body support the rights, freedoms, and equality of those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual/agender (LGBTQIA+); and
WHEREAS, the Stonewall uprising began on June 28, 1969, when gay rights activists, led by Black trans activists such as Marsha P. Johnson and Storme’ DeLarverie, confronted a police raid of the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City; and
WHEREAS, as documented in historical scholarship, including the Library of Congress LGBTQIA+ Studies resources, the Stonewall Inn existed within a broader context in which LGBTQIA+ spaces were frequently subjected to surveillance, raids, and arrests, and the events of June 1969 occurred after sustained enforcement actions against LGBTQIA+ communities across the United States; and
WHEREAS, continuous police raids on gay bars and spaces were a common phenomenon across the U.S. during this time and the Stonewall protesters were subject to police harassment and brutality during the 6 consecutive nights of demonstrations at the Stonewall Inn; and
WHEREAS, the uprising was in response to discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, at a time when LGBTQIA+ people were widely subject to arrest under laws targeting same-sex relationships and gender nonconformity; and
WHEREAS, the LGBTQIA+ community was an easy target for the police, because in New York in 1969, individuals could not wear more than 3 items of clothing that did not match their assigned gender at birth; and
WHEREAS, Stonewall occurred within a broader history of LGBTQIA+ resistance to police harassment and state-sanctioned discrimination, including prior acts of protest and organizing that laid the groundwork for the modern LGBTQIA+ rights movement; and
WHEREAS, those who took a stand for human rights and dignity at the Stonewall Inn are among the pioneers of the LGBTQIA+ rights movement, and it is essential to recognize that many of these defining moments were made possible by the leadership and activism of Black and Brown LGBTQIA+ individuals; and
WHEREAS, Black and brown people's marginalization was furthered by their sexual orientation, causing violence, discrimination, and oppression toward them with respect to income, employment, housing, education, political representation, access to health care, and other public and private services. This history has too often been underrecognized in mainstream accounts of the LGBTQIA+ rights movement; and
WHEREAS, many consider the Stonewall uprising the birth of gay pride on a national scale, as it inspired activists to organize, speak out, and demand equal rights and protections under the law; and
WHEREAS, the first Pride march was held on June 28, 1970, the 1-year anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, and the Stonewall uprising was therefore the catalyst for establishing June as Gay Pride Month; and
WHEREAS, various decisive moments in history were followed by the creation of gay rights organizations in every major city in the United States within 2 years of the Stonewall uprising and LGBTQIA+ advocacy expanded significantly nationwide following these events; and
WHEREAS, the Stonewall Inn has now been designated as a National Monument, reflecting federal recognition of its significance in American civil rights history and underscoring the importance of preserving LGBTQIA+ historic sites and narratives amid ongoing national conversations about the documentation, interpretation, and protection of civil rights history; and
WHEREAS, while Pride Month is a celebration of progress, it must also be an acknowledgment of the ongoing work needed to achieve full equality, including the preservation of LGBTQIA+ historical landmarks and narratives; and
WHEREAS, LGBTQIA+ individuals have a significant presence in the State of Delaware, with an estimated 4.5% of adults, approximately 5% of the Delaware workforce (about 24,000 workers), and approximately 40,000 residents aged 13 and older identifying as LGBTQIA+, reflecting a measurable and longstanding community presence across all regions of the State as documented in the Movement Advancement Project’s Delaware Equality Profile; and
WHEREAS, LGBTQIA+ people have been and continue to be at the center of Black, indigenous, and other people of color movements. LGBTQIA+ individuals, particularly LGBTQIA+ people of color, have intersecting identities that make recognition and acknowledgment of their experiences essential to understanding American history and advancing equity; and
WHEREAS, “Stonewall Uprising Remembrance Day” provides an opportunity for education, advocacy, and activism, and commemorates this pivotal moment in the LGBTQIA+ rights movement in the United States and around the world.
NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 153rd General Assembly of the State of Delaware that the Senate affirms the importance of the recognition of LGBTQIA+ people and their many achievements, and hereby designates June 28, 2026, as “Stonewall Uprising Remembrance Day” in the State of Delaware.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate encourages expanded efforts to keep Delaware residents properly informed about the need for acceptance, and equitable treatment, of LGBTQIA+ individuals of all backgrounds, races, ages, ethnicities, religions, and beyond, and supports continued preservation of LGBTQIA+ historic sites, including federally recognized landmarks such as the Stonewall National Monument.
SYNOPSIS
This resolution affirms the importance of recognizing the history, contributions, and resilience of LGBTQIA+ individuals and designates June 28, 2026, as “Stonewall Uprising Remembrance Day” in the State of Delaware. It also recognizes the historical significance of the Stonewall uprising in advancing LGBTQIA+ civil rights and encourages continued efforts to ensure Delaware residents are informed about the importance of acceptance of, and equitable treatment for, LGBTQIA+ individuals, as well as the preservation and accurate interpretation of LGBTQIA+ history.
Author: Senator Pinkney
