I marched in the first Gay Pride (Gay Liberation March) in 1970. I remember the mixed emotions that day elation,fear excitement and tremendous pride! I marched beside my big brother John who sadly passed away last year, but as I stood and watched the parade this year I could feel his spirit with me. I had s small rainbow flag that was among his belongings which I wrapped around my wrist so as to have a small part of him with me that day. So I say to you all Stand Tall! Stay Proud! Never Go Back!

On June 28, 2009, my partner of 30 years, Joey and I marched proudly down 5th Avenue, as a couple committed and loving each other for three decades on your 40th Anniversary. We stand for marriage equality and civil rights. I am a Viet Nam Veteran, a 9/11-Ground Zero Survivor and he is an ex-Broadway boy turned hairdresser after an accident at the Winter Garden ended his dancing career. So bottom line, I'm so proud to have been a part of the 40th Anniversary Celebration. Our liberties and right to be ourselves means everything to me.I have marched with AVER, Marriage Equality New York and GLAAD. I am very outspoken and an advocate for Gay Solidarity and Unity. We must be together on this. Love to all my LGBT brothers and sisters. Joey and I are all over the Internet now. If you would like, I could e-mail you a photo of us together, tux jackets, white carnations, shorts and sneakers. Or if you like I could bring one in for your wall of remembrance. We live on the Upper West Side and Stonewall on Christopher is just a quick subway ride for us. Mike McDonald

I lived in NYC from 1961 until 1966 while stationed in the Navy at Floyd Bennett Field on Flatbush. I was in many village bar raids during John Lindseyâ??s run for mayor for the NOV 64 election. I was 17 in 1961 and GAY when I joined the Navy. I was upset when they closed the Showplace on W. 4th, one of my favorite piano bars, with Walter James at the piano. Gino's Gallery was fun along with and several other bars that came and went so fast. The first dance bar was Charlieâ??s over on Avenue A, but didn't last to long. I spent many a night at Everhardâ??s and St. Marks. I lived in a Brownstone room on Hicks St. in the heights. I had wonderful friends there. I was transferred out for my last year in the Navy and then found a lover and settled in Atlantic City. In May 1967, some of the drags from the 82 Club asked me to join a Drag Show as a lead male dancer and so we went with the Funtasticâ??s appearing at the Fort Pitt on New York Ave and the Boardwalk. We were raided the same weekend as Stonewall and the drags were arrested for not having proper gender appropriate clothing, so they were jailed. We got them out and continued with the show. Our show was geared for a straight audience so no patrons were arrested, but the bar owner and staff were arrested. It came over the news about Stonewall Riots and the Mayor of A.C. didn't want anything like that there, since there were 4 clubs with drag shows, so they released everybody. The drags did have to have the menâ??s clothes on for the next weeks performance. They got very creative. After that the lawyer for the bar and the mayor agreed that it was a quality show and the dress code restriction was dropped. We didn't have a riot but we stood firm and eventually won out. I lived life to the hilt in those days and have many wonderful stories and memories of that NYC pre-Stonewall era. I would love to find friends from that era, if there are any left. KEEP THE PRIDE GOING ALL YEAR!

Today, June 28, 2009, I am moved with gratitude for the men and women that fought back against the harassment 40 years ago so I can have a better life today. I am also full of gratitude thinking of my dear niece Roberta, an actress who 15 years ago today was in En Garde Arts presentation of Stonewall directed by Tina Landau on Hudson River Pier 25. And now she is a wife and mother of 3 instilling a sensibility in her children that people are people and some people like blue and some people like green. I am so grateful that I never have to feel ashamed when I am with her or her children.

A Huge part of American History...... First, african american rights, then woman's rights, now, gay and lesbian rights. One day this little bar will attract thousands and thousands of gays from all over the world, when gays are free to feel equal, the thousands that are afraid to come out will, and there will be a revolution of lesbians and gays and bi sexuals and transsexuals who will flood not only the streets of San Francisco, but of small town Iowa and Hickville Kentucky. LOL GO GAY