Our America: Pride in History. I uncover hidden LGBTQ+ stories, including how gay relationships evolved during the Gold Rush

Understanding where we are from and where we have been is an important part of telling the human story. For LGBTQ+ people, these stories are often lost to time due to stigma, fear, and shame.

Our America: Pride in History I celebrates amazing stories of perseverance as a community rises to greater recognition.

In this episode, find out why the California Gold Rush may have given LGBTQ+ people a chance to speak out.

Meet the political leaders, police detective and AIDS activist who paved the way for others. See the challenges young people face, learn about the fight to protect the community’s history and meet the man who created the famous rainbow flag.

LGBTQ+ people probably thrived during the California Gold Rush

When the California Gold Rush broke out in 1849, people from all over the world flooded the state. About 90% of these new residents were men. The social structure of mining camps and boomtowns paved the way for stories of “intimacy” lost to time until now.

What happened before the Stonewall riots in New York

Whitehall and Pearl streets in New York City are bustling today, but September 19, 1964 was anything but quiet. What happened at the Manhattan intersection gave momentum to the LGBTQ+ rights movement.

Chicago’s first openly gay mayor reflects on 20 years of service

Chicago’s first openly gay mayor, Tom Tunney, recently announced his retirement from the City Council at the end of his upcoming term. Tani looks back on her career and legacy.

New York’s first openly transgender detective shares his story

New York City’s first transgender detective is an NYPD officer. Detective Ori Harbor grew up in Detroit and shares his story of the ups, downs and challenges he faced.

The LGBTQ+ Legacy of Finocchio’s, “America’s Most Unusual Nightclub”

For generations—and long before RuPaul’s Drag Race—San Francisco has had a Finocchio. For visitors, it was an opportunity to see men dressed as women. For workers, it was a safe haven for self-expression at a time when “being yourself” was illegal.

Activist Phil Wilson reflects on his life-saving work with AIDS

Phil Wilson and his partner, Chris Brownlee, were diagnosed with AIDS in the 1980s and began to band together to address the many disparities associated with AIDS, recognizing that African-Americans in particular were underserved. This eventually led Wilson to leadership roles, as AIDS coordinator in Los Angeles, helped establish the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, and worked with two presidential administrations to fight the disease.

A historic Baptist church supporting LGBTQ+ equality since the 1950s

In Raleigh, North Carolina, a church has become an LGBTQ+ home. Founded in the late 1800s, Pullen Memorial Baptist was one of the first churches to embrace LGBTQ+ rights, inviting the community to hold positions in the church – and even marry.

Check out historical sites related to the LGBTQ+ movement in New York

The 1969 riots at the Stonewall Inn in New York City became a flashpoint for the gay rights movement. Many visitors, however, may not be aware of the unmarked sites that also have LGBTQ+ connections, some dating back to the 1700s.

Meet the creator of the rainbow flag

The rainbow flag has become an international symbol of the LGBTQ+ community. As the gay community became more visible, so did the activist Harvey Milk saw the need to create something that would symbolize this community. Milk turned to a young artist and porter from Kansas to carry out his message of hope. The rainbow flag began as a symbol of pride for the gay community. The path to its creation began in 1972, when a young Gilbert Baker began sewing after settling in San Francisco.