1855

Walt Whitman publishes the first edition of Leaves of Grass

1869

The term "homosexuality" appears in print for the first time in a German pamphlet

1870

Bayard Taylor publishes Joseph and His Friend, the first gay novel

1895

Oscar Wilde is convicted on charges of "gross indecency" and sentenced to two years hard labor

1897

In Germany, Scientific Humanitarian Committee is founded, the world's first organization dedicated to ending legal and social oppression of gays

1920's

"Gay" comes into use in reference to homosexuals

1928

Radclyffe Hall's The Well of Loneliness, the first lesbian novel, is published in the U.S. 

1933

Nazis disband the Scientific Humanitarian Committee

1937-38

Nazis send homosexuals to concentration camps, forcing them to wear an identifying pink triangle badge

1940's

Alan Turing engages in WWII code-breaking work at Bletchley Park, England

1950

The Mattachine Society, the first American homophile group, is founded in NY

1954

Alan Turing dies by suicide months after being given libido-reducing hormone treatment as a punishment for homosexuality

1956

James Baldwin publishes Giovanni's Room, a gay-themed novel

1957

In the UK, the Wolfenden Report's recommendation of decriminalization of homosexual acts for consenting adults causes public controversy

1958

Barbara Gittings founds the NY chapter of the lesbian organization Daughters of Bilitis

1961

Illinois is the first U.S. state to decriminalize homosexuality

1963

Bayard Rustin coordinates African-American civil rights March on Washington

First gay rights demonstration takes place in New York, protesting discrimination in the military

1965-69

Annual gay civil rights demonstrations at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, by Barbara Gittings and others

1968

The Metropolitan Community Church founded in Los Angeles

1969

Sylvia Rivera and others participate in the Stonewall Uprising in NYC

1970

First gay pride marches in the U.S. commemorate Stonewall

1971

Frank Kameny becomes the first openly gay candidate for U.S. Congress

1973

American Psychiatric Association removes homosexuality from its list of mental disorders

1974

Barbara Jordan testifies in President Nixon's impeachment hearing

1975

Sgt. Leonard Matlovich sues the Air Force for discharging him. First national gay rights legislation bill introduced in U.S. Congress

1977

Harvey Milk elected to San Francisco Board of Supervisors

1978

Harvey Milk assassinated in San Francisco City Hall

1979

First national gay rights March on Washington attracts more than 100,000

1980

Publication of John Boswell's book Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality

1981

Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) founded by Larry Kramer and others

Martina Navratilova comes out

1985

Fr. Mychal Judge founds St. Francis AIDS Ministry

1987

Representative Barney Frank comes out

Larry Kramer founds ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power)

1988

Section 28 is passed in the UK

1989

Ian McKellen and others form Stonewall to campaign for the repeal of Section 28

Denmark becomes the first country to legally recognize same-sex partnerships

1992

Tim Gill and Martina Navratilova oppose Colorado Amendment 2

Elton John AIDS Foundation started

1994

Tim Gill founds the Gill Foundation

1995

Andrew Sullivan publishes Virtually Normal

1996

Representative Jim Kolbe comes out

1997

Ellen DeGeneres outs herself and her sitcom character on primetime tv

Adrienne Rich declines the National Medal of Arts

1998

Gay student Matthew Shepard is killed in Wyoming

1999

Jim Hormel is appointed the first openly gay U.S. ambassador

Phill Wilson founds the Black AIDS Institute

2001

Father Mychal Judge dies at the World Trade Center

Lowell Selvin leads formation of PlanetOut Inc.

Germany enacts domestic partnership legislation, with leadership from Volker Beck

2004

Lupe Valdez elected Sheriff of Dallas County, Texas

2005

Sheryl Swoopes comes out

2006

First gay pride march in Moscow ends in violence, including injury and arrest of Volker Beck