June=PRIDE and time to remember the gay and lesbian pioneers who invented the world of Liberation without a roadmap. Lilli Vincenz (1927-2023) produced and directed the historic documentary “Gay & Proud” (1970) capturing the first PRIDE parade in the country, from Greenwich Village to Central Park, on the first anniversary of Stonewall.  The Washington Post called her films the “Zapruder films of a movement”. Stored in her attic for decades, this crate of 16mm films was donated by Lilli to the Library of Congress.  Her films now belong to the American people. Happy PRIDE, everybody.

Lilli Vincenz and Charles Francis with her films entrusted to the Mattachine Society of Washington, DC for donation to the Library of Congress (2013)