Group Honors Historic 1966 LGBT 'Sip-In' Protest With Virtual Cocktails And Community

On April 21, 1966, a "Sip-In" was organized by members of the Mattachine Society, one of the country's earliest gay rights organizations, to challenge the State Liquor Authority's discriminatory policy of revoking the licenses of bars that served known or suspected gay men and lesbians. The publicized event - at which they were refused service after intentionally revealing they were "homosexuals" - was one of the earliest pre-Stonewall public actions for LGBT rights as well as a big step forward in the eventual development of legitimate LGBT bars in New York City. Tomorrow evening's virtual tour will feature all four of the bars visited in 1966, ending at Julius'.

TOMORROW, Tuesday, April 21st, beginning at 6PM (full run of show below) Virtually at Julius' Bar, via Zoom (advance RSVP required)

Architectural historian and co-director of the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project Andrew Scott Dolkart will retrace the steps of four men whose defiant actions, in 1966, made history. DJ Yestergay, Kyle Supley, will supply the period-appropriate music to put everyone in a festive mood. Helen Buford, present-day owner of Julius' bar, will also join us.

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