The New York Public Library recognizes the Supreme Court's June 26, 2015 ruling on the constitutionality of marriage equality with an exhibition on the history of LGBT relationships.
The struggle for marriage equality in the United States had its roots in the gay liberation movements that emerged in the 1970s. That generation of pioneering activists dared to openly challenge existing laws and prejudices with actions that their predecessors had not even imagined. But the fight for marriage equality did not gain widespread momentum until the 1990s, when increasing numbers of LGBT couples faced legal challenges to raising families, caring for ill loved ones, and making end-of-life preparations.
Although legal victories recognizing LGBT relationships have been won only in recent years, LGBT couples have always been committed to long-term, loving relationships, often in secret. The materials on display, drawn from the Library’s collections, bear witness to the history of LGBT relationships—from clandestine unions and love affairs between those in heterosexual marriages to the movement’s prominent couples and recent brave protests for equality.
