A bookstore blocks the street: DC’s First Pride
In conjunction with WorldPride 2025, Rainbow History Project is creating an exhibit on the evolution of Pride: “Pickets, Protests, and Parades: The History of Gay Pride in Washington.” This is the third of 10 articles that share our research themes. In “A Bookstore Blocks the Street,” we explore 1975 to 1979 and how the Lambda Rising Bookstore hosted Gay Pride Day Block Parties, initiating the annual Pride events in D.C.
In the years following the 1970 Christopher Street Liberation Day March, many gay Washingtonians traveled to NYC for the annual Pride events. But in 1975, according to Deacon Maccubbin, a friend posed a crucial question: I love going to New York for Pride, but why do we have to go all the way every time? Why don’t we do something here in D.C.? Maccubbin, a local activist, community leader, and the owner of the Lambda Rising bookstore ran with the idea.
With the help of a friend, Bob Carpenter, Maccubbin organized the first annual Gay Pride Day Block Party in front of Lambda Rising: the block of 20th Street, N.W. between R and S streets. The event was intended to both educate and entertain the community. Not a protest nor merely a party, rather, a community building celebration where local gay and lesbian organizations and service providers could do outreach while attendees danced in the streets. The Gay Pride Day Block Party took the revolutionary spirit of New York’s Pride events and incorporated a celebratory and wonkish tone.
The day was cosponsored by the Community Building Association, an umbrella group for the fledgling gay and lesbian organizations operating out of the building. This included Lambda Rising, the Gay Switchboard, the Gay Blade, Gay Youth, and the off our backs women’s newspaper. Gay and lesbian organizations had tables to share information, sell merchandise, and sign up members. This educational and activist tone served to build unity, share resources, and strengthen the awareness of the gay civil rights agenda. The inclusion of educational booths at Pride events has grown into a mainstay of international Pride activities and rivals the contributions of New York’s march and political rallies, and the vibrant parades of California.
Entertainment was provided by local gay bars Pier 9 and the Lost and Found who lent their record collection and coordinated dancing in the street. The soundsystem and audio engineering were provided by Boden Sandstrom and her company Women Sound – the pioneering local women-created and operated audio engineering company that went on to define the sound of the women’s music movement. In 1978, popular lesbian guitarist and singer Casse Culver debuted her song “What are we going to do?” about Anita Bryant’s nationwide attacks on gay rights.
Local politics reared its head as well. Council member John Wilson coordinated and presented the first Gay Pride Day resolution in support of the gay and lesbian community. Other Council members denounced the events, tried to block resolutions, and spoke about the “gay shame” being brought on the District. Support of Gay Pride Day resolutions factored into candidate ratings and endorsements by GLAA, the Gertrude Stein Democrats, and other political activists. Even Mayor Marion Barry showed his embrace of the gay community who propelled him to victory in 1978.
“It’s one of those things, like when something’s got to be done, somebody’s got to do it.” Maccubin said about founding Gay Pride Day. Pride Day outgrew 20th Street and later S Street, with attendance increasing from several hundred to between 8,000 to 10,000. Maccubbin therefore handed over the reins of Gay Pride Day to a new community organization: the P Street Festival, Inc.
Our WorldPride 2025 exhibit, “Pickets, Protests, and Parades: The History of Gay Pride in Washington,” centers the voices of the event organizers and includes the critics of Pride and the intersection of Pride and other movements for equal rights and liberation. But we need your help to do that: We are looking for images and input, so look around your attic and get involved
Vincent Slatt volunteers as director of archiving at the Rainbow History Project; Colette Combs works as a volunteer there.