Boston Pride began in June 1970, when a small group of about 50 gay and lesbian activists marched from Cambridge Common to Boston Common, where they held a rally commemorating the Stonewall riots.[3][4][5] On June 26, 1971, about 300 people attended the first official Boston Pride March, which stopped at four locations in the city: Jacque's (a drag bar), the Boston police headquarters, the Massachusetts State House, and St. Paul's Cathedral.[6][7][8][9][10] At each location marchers read off their demands and grievances: misogyny, police harassment, legal discrimination, and religious persecution, respectively.[6] After the march, a rally was held with a "closet-smashing" demonstration.[9] In 1972, the march visited the city jail and returned to the State House.[9]
In 1974 the Lavender Rhino debuted as a float in the parade.[11] Earlier that year, Gay Media Action had put together a series of ads featuring the rhino as part of a campaign to encourage LGBTQ visibility. When they pitched the ads to the MBTA, however, they were told they could not run the ads at the public service price rather than the more expensive standard price.[11] This led to a protest campaign, which then led to the Lavender Rhino float.[11] Subsequently, the rhino became the parade's mascot.[5]
In 1978 the event was renamed the New England Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade; about 5,000 people attended.[8]
1980s
1981 had an expected 10,000 marchers.[12] By 1984 attendance increased to 15,000, to 20,000 in 1985, and to 25,000 in 1986.[3][13][14]
In 1987 Boston Pride was able to raise a Lavender Rhino flag at City Hall.[8][15] The 1988 parade marked the first time the event was organized formally by a pride committee, who required pre-registration for marchers.[5]
1990s
By 1993 Boston Pride was reporting an attendance of 100,000 people.[16] The growing attendance led to some corporate groups marching in the parade by 1994.[17]
In 1995 the Boston Dyke March was founded as an alternative to Boston Pride.[5] Organizers alleged that Boston Pride had become too apolitical.[5]
An estimated 25,000 people marched in the parade in 2014.[19]
In 2015 a group of protesters interrupted the parade to demand that organizers pay attention to the issues faced by transgender people and LGBTQ people of color.[20]
In 2017 the parade's theme was "Stronger Together" in remembrance of the victims of the 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting; 29 survivors of the attack led the parade.[21]
2019 had an expected turnout of 50,000 marchers and 750,000 parade and festival attendees.[1][2][10]
2020s
Boston Pride was not held in-person in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[22][23] In 2021 the organization known as Boston Pride dissolved after multiple years of internal disagreements.[24][25][26][27] In 2022 a variety of pride events were held in Boston, although none were on the scale of Boston Pride.[24][28]
In September 2022, a new organizing committee, Boston Pride for the People, was established.[29]
The Boston Pride parade returned under the new committee in June 2023.[29][30] Around 10,000 marchers registered to attend.[29]
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