the first gay pride parade nyc 1970

yes, we were there! it really wasnt a very well organized parade. i would say it was more of a civil rights march which over the years has become a parade. oh there were other protests and demonstrations at the time, larger and better organized. mobilizations against the war in cambodia, laos and of course vietnam. we were tear gassed at the atomic bomb protest march on august 6 1970. but the gay pride parade was really just a bunch of hippie activists, i would say 50,000 at most. marching DOWN 5th avenue to washington square and then west to waverly place(next to sheridan sq park). it wasnt very big and the parade was better organized in 1971 when we marched UP to central park from waverly place. that made more sense since it was easier to assemble in the village. after the first gay pride was over we went over to gregory's at 88 bleeker and watched the cable channel replay. i remember how uptight some of the guys there were. all worried their employers and fellow employees would see them marching for gay rights. remember at the time new york state had sodomy laws and wasnt until the early 70's when they were changed. i remember some lesbian librarian from philadelphia barbara gittings or something like that. i thought she was old but she could have been 32. lol anyway, she was(is) a real gay/lesbian rights advocate. the boyfriend at the time was really a hunk and we couldnt wait to get out to the pines to smoke pot or take LSD and do other things for hours.