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What was...?
What Was Stonewall?
How did a spontaneous protest outside of a New York City bar fifty years ago spark a social movement across America? Find out about the history of LGBTQ rights in this Who HQ title.
In the early-morning hours of June 28, 1969, police arrived at the Stonewall Inn's doors and yelled, "Police! We're taking the place!" But the people in this New York City neighborhood bar, members of the LGBTQ community, were tired of being harassed. They rebelled in the streets, turning one moment into a civil rights movement and launching the fight for equality among LGBTQ people in the United States.
In the early-morning hours of June 28, 1969, police arrived at the Stonewall Inn's doors and yelled, "Police! We're taking the place!" But the people in this New York City neighborhood bar, members of the LGBTQ community, were tired of being harassed. They rebelled in the streets, turning one moment into a civil rights movement and launching the fight for equality among LGBTQ people in the United States.
112 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2019
40 people are currently reading
324 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
December 1, 2022
"Everybody Say Love!"
Great book! It talks about the Stonewall riots, of course, but also about the AIDS crisis, Ellen DeGeneres, Sylvia Rivera, Harvey Milk and others LGBTQ+ activists, gay conversion therapy and the Pride parades.
Great book! It talks about the Stonewall riots, of course, but also about the AIDS crisis, Ellen DeGeneres, Sylvia Rivera, Harvey Milk and others LGBTQ+ activists, gay conversion therapy and the Pride parades.
July 9, 2019
Happy to add this to my middle school classroom library! My students love nonfiction books and this series, and this is a pretty decent primer on LGBT history. I'm hoping the series will add books dedicated to Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and some of the other individuals who are briefly mentioned - this book is more of a general overview, which was what it's intended to be.
December 16, 2023
my mom has several of these, and i never understood why, but they’re very informative and easy to read
May 13, 2019
Good primer for Stonewall and LGBTQ+ history in the US. A little disappointed on the amount of information about Marsha P. Johnson, but pleasantly surprised at the inclusion of Sylvia Rivera, who is often left out of the discussion. Despite the fantastic inclusion of definitions at the beginning of the book, there was a heavy and continuous lumping in of the bisexual and pansexual communities with the blanket use of "gay", and the use of the term "drag queen" overwhelmingly overrides the transgender people that were on the front lines.
Definitely good for the age range, and hopefully can be useful in sparking other conversations about a more detailed discussion.
Definitely good for the age range, and hopefully can be useful in sparking other conversations about a more detailed discussion.
March 20, 2019
If you're going to have Marsha P Johnson on the cover of your book, then please add more than just a sidebar blurb.
January 4, 2023
eponymous-ey sentence:
p7: It was a Friday, and folks at the Stonewall Inn were celebrating.
Could have been better off without this stuff.
p7: It was a Friday, and folks at the Stonewall Inn were celebrating.
Could have been better off without this stuff.
June 2, 2025
Great read
What's sad is that people STILL have to fight for equal rights and fair treatment. There's still too much prejudice.
What's sad is that people STILL have to fight for equal rights and fair treatment. There's still too much prejudice.
February 17, 2020
I read a lot of children's books for work, to help me make better recommendations and to know what's on the market. This "Who Was/What Was" series is SO popular with the kiddos (I've had them call the series "big head books" to me before) and I'm glad it's including this moment from history. Happy Pride!
February 25, 2021
Boy howdy, does this book tackle a big subject! And it generally succeeds in addressing the histories and social nuance of the queer community in an accessible age-appropriate manner without significant white-washing.
June 17, 2022
Just a quick read I picked up from the children’s section in the library simply because I knew nothing about Stonewall or much LGBTQ+ history. Quick easy read with a broad overview of US history since the Stonewall uprising in 1969
March 30, 2019
I am very happy that this book exists, especially as part of a popular series, but it could have been so much better. I liked the information in the sidebars but not that they were arranged as two page spreads. Overall it was very disjointed and I felt like information was thrown at me. I feel like it would've been better to have a book entitled "What is the Gay Rights Movement." Unfortunately, there are very LGBT history books for kids.
February 18, 2020
A part of history I was never taught in school (or otherwise) and it looks like the popular Who? What? Where? series wants to remedy that. My third grade students LOVE these books (and the Netflix show) and I was pleasantly surprised to see this one. Informative and engaging. I am now officially a fan of the series.
November 17, 2022
What Was Stonewall? by Nico Medina, with illustrations by Jake Murray, was published in 2019. This was a very well-written history of the Stonewall Riots back in the late 1960s, but I feel like the title doesn't do the book justice. While it does go into the riots, their aftermath, and the history of the marches that came soon afterward, this book includes so much more. I think it should have been What Was the Gay Civil Rights Movement? instead. Regardless of title naming, this book is a treasure trove of resources on not only Stonewall but the history of the LGBTQ+ community before and after the event as well.
It's filled with so much information in just 108 pages it's hard to encapsulate it all. There's a good amount of terminology, vocabulary, and groups that were founded. The history of NYC and The Village from the 1930s - present, the history of how the gay community was treated before and after Stonewall including the late 1900s, up through the roaring twenties, into the depression, and the 1950s, basically the fluctuation of the community at certain times in American history, why certain places like San Francisco and NYC brought such an influx of gay men and women, of the laws that banned any type of same-sex relationships and outlawed selling liquor to gay people (ridiculous things like that, however sadly are still being fought in courts to this day). It goes into the AIDS crisis, conversion therapy, and how gays were treated during the Holocaust. The book also gives wonderful resources in the back for struggling LGBTQ+ youths, who still make up close to half of the homeless youth in America today, like The Trevor Project, It Gets Better, the Gay Men's Health Crisis, etc.
And then there is the abundance of important LGBTQ+ people who I think make this book extra special. People like Walt Whitman, Mae West, Harry Hay, Del Martin, Phyllis Lyon, Franklin Kamney, Craig Rodwell, Seymour Pine, Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, Storme DeLarverie, Harvey Milk, Bill Clinton (who was the one to get funding for HIV/AIDS finally going after Regan and Bush Sr. ignored the issue), Matthew Shepard, etc.
This book also delves into the real history of Stonewall. There seem to be some misconceptions about what actually happened. Even people within the LGBTQ+ community don't seem to know the right history. I believe a drag queen from RuPaul's drag race publicly made a statement along the lines of we need to remember all those people we lost during the Stonewall riots. Nobody died at Stonewall. It's sad that more people within the community don't know the actual story and then have to be educated on national television of their own ignorance. The book talks about how it was not the gay men who started the revolt on police brutality, but actually the drag queens of color and the lesbians that really lead the charge on that sultry summer night in 1969, and how Betty Friedan herself excluded lesbians from the women's rights cause, fearing a backlash if certain kinds of women were included. Things like that are what make this book a really clear and well-represented account of history.
It's truly a wonderful book for young people to educate themselves on this historical event in American history and is a reminder that the fight is not over, far from it, as now the supreme court is probably going to have marriage equality back on the chopping block.
While I really enjoyed this book, read it in one sitting, it's very easy to read, my only complaints are that there is a vast amount of information, like tons. I wonder if younger readers will be able to retain so much information in such few pages, even though it's well structured, not only with illustrations but also a number of photographs in the middle of the book. I know the history of the gay civil rights movement is enormous, but I wish they had mentioned two things that I just remember in my life and have never forgotten for me (personal wants) are important. Greg Louganis and the drop of blood in the Olympic pool and that b*tch Anita Bryant getting a pie in the face on air. But I know that you can't fit everything into one book.
Be that as it may, this would be a wonderful edition for any elementary/middle schooler to have on their shelf if they're interested in learning the true history of America, the whole history, the history that will make you a better person for understanding other people's lives and struggles and how we can each play a part in making other people's lives better and live together. We are all living on the shoulders and the plights of those who came before us. I think all LGBTQ+ people, and non, should pick this book up as a refresher course to Stonewall and the history of the LGBTQ+ community. Might help shed some light on a lot of questions we might be having. After all, we're all part of the same community in the end. I'm really excited to discover more titles from this series. My rating - 4/5
It's filled with so much information in just 108 pages it's hard to encapsulate it all. There's a good amount of terminology, vocabulary, and groups that were founded. The history of NYC and The Village from the 1930s - present, the history of how the gay community was treated before and after Stonewall including the late 1900s, up through the roaring twenties, into the depression, and the 1950s, basically the fluctuation of the community at certain times in American history, why certain places like San Francisco and NYC brought such an influx of gay men and women, of the laws that banned any type of same-sex relationships and outlawed selling liquor to gay people (ridiculous things like that, however sadly are still being fought in courts to this day). It goes into the AIDS crisis, conversion therapy, and how gays were treated during the Holocaust. The book also gives wonderful resources in the back for struggling LGBTQ+ youths, who still make up close to half of the homeless youth in America today, like The Trevor Project, It Gets Better, the Gay Men's Health Crisis, etc.
And then there is the abundance of important LGBTQ+ people who I think make this book extra special. People like Walt Whitman, Mae West, Harry Hay, Del Martin, Phyllis Lyon, Franklin Kamney, Craig Rodwell, Seymour Pine, Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, Storme DeLarverie, Harvey Milk, Bill Clinton (who was the one to get funding for HIV/AIDS finally going after Regan and Bush Sr. ignored the issue), Matthew Shepard, etc.
This book also delves into the real history of Stonewall. There seem to be some misconceptions about what actually happened. Even people within the LGBTQ+ community don't seem to know the right history. I believe a drag queen from RuPaul's drag race publicly made a statement along the lines of we need to remember all those people we lost during the Stonewall riots. Nobody died at Stonewall. It's sad that more people within the community don't know the actual story and then have to be educated on national television of their own ignorance. The book talks about how it was not the gay men who started the revolt on police brutality, but actually the drag queens of color and the lesbians that really lead the charge on that sultry summer night in 1969, and how Betty Friedan herself excluded lesbians from the women's rights cause, fearing a backlash if certain kinds of women were included. Things like that are what make this book a really clear and well-represented account of history.
It's truly a wonderful book for young people to educate themselves on this historical event in American history and is a reminder that the fight is not over, far from it, as now the supreme court is probably going to have marriage equality back on the chopping block.
While I really enjoyed this book, read it in one sitting, it's very easy to read, my only complaints are that there is a vast amount of information, like tons. I wonder if younger readers will be able to retain so much information in such few pages, even though it's well structured, not only with illustrations but also a number of photographs in the middle of the book. I know the history of the gay civil rights movement is enormous, but I wish they had mentioned two things that I just remember in my life and have never forgotten for me (personal wants) are important. Greg Louganis and the drop of blood in the Olympic pool and that b*tch Anita Bryant getting a pie in the face on air. But I know that you can't fit everything into one book.
Be that as it may, this would be a wonderful edition for any elementary/middle schooler to have on their shelf if they're interested in learning the true history of America, the whole history, the history that will make you a better person for understanding other people's lives and struggles and how we can each play a part in making other people's lives better and live together. We are all living on the shoulders and the plights of those who came before us. I think all LGBTQ+ people, and non, should pick this book up as a refresher course to Stonewall and the history of the LGBTQ+ community. Might help shed some light on a lot of questions we might be having. After all, we're all part of the same community in the end. I'm really excited to discover more titles from this series. My rating - 4/5
June 11, 2020
When I first began my classroom teaching, I would never have imagined that a book like this would exist for my classroom library. It's a subject I truly never believed would be discussed with students. It makes me happy to know the history of the Stonewall Inn and LGBQ+ civil rights will be available for students to learn about right alongside the history of the founding of the United States, the Civil War, and World War II.
This book directed at students in the 4th grade and up details the events leading up to the Stonewall Riots. It describes the era before and during this time including the emerging drag ball culture. It also goes into detail about the treatment of LGBTQ+ American citizens including hospitalization and barbaric medical treatments. I liked that it defined terms that may be new for many students as well as highlighting the important people who played a role during this time. In clear and simple language, the book details what happened that early morning in New York City's Greenwich Village. Accompanying the words are detailed black and white drawings and photographs.
What's nice about this book is that it doesn't stop at the Stonewall Riots. It then goes into the aftermath and the creation of Pride parades and why it's celebrated in June. The book also spends a chapter on the AIDS epidemic, and then finally ends on how far the LGBTQ+ community has come with athletes and other celebrities coming out. And, yes, the book even talks about the coming out process.
This is a really nice book to add to a classroom library. Students should learn about this history and LGBTQ+ students deserve to see their stories told.
This book directed at students in the 4th grade and up details the events leading up to the Stonewall Riots. It describes the era before and during this time including the emerging drag ball culture. It also goes into detail about the treatment of LGBTQ+ American citizens including hospitalization and barbaric medical treatments. I liked that it defined terms that may be new for many students as well as highlighting the important people who played a role during this time. In clear and simple language, the book details what happened that early morning in New York City's Greenwich Village. Accompanying the words are detailed black and white drawings and photographs.
What's nice about this book is that it doesn't stop at the Stonewall Riots. It then goes into the aftermath and the creation of Pride parades and why it's celebrated in June. The book also spends a chapter on the AIDS epidemic, and then finally ends on how far the LGBTQ+ community has come with athletes and other celebrities coming out. And, yes, the book even talks about the coming out process.
This is a really nice book to add to a classroom library. Students should learn about this history and LGBTQ+ students deserve to see their stories told.
July 6, 2019
I'm very glad this book exists. I see a lot of comments on how general this book is or how it's "all over the place" or addresses topics that shouldn't be addressed. This is a primer. For kids. It's not supposed to be a textbook on the history of LGBTQ+ rights movement. Parents are supposed to discuss these things later with their kids so that it sticks, and make social injustices a recurrent household topic. I read it as an adult (bought it specifically to donate to a local library) and even learned some things. If kids or adults are curious about the topic after reading this book, they can (and should) keep on reading and researching on their own.
BTW, why should a kid not know that a guy named Matthew Shephard was murdered for being gay? To preserve their innocence? There are many, many kids around the world who deal with violence and murder every day of their lives. No, it's not right. But the earlier we learn that these wrong things happen in our world (heck, in our backyard), the earlier we become better people. Just sayin'...
BTW, why should a kid not know that a guy named Matthew Shephard was murdered for being gay? To preserve their innocence? There are many, many kids around the world who deal with violence and murder every day of their lives. No, it's not right. But the earlier we learn that these wrong things happen in our world (heck, in our backyard), the earlier we become better people. Just sayin'...
October 22, 2019
I feel this is a very good and simple book that introduces some LGBTQ+ history, issues and struggles, and the fight for their rights. I like that when I finished this book that I had an understanding of the origin of Pride Month and the Pride parade in that it had an actual historical significance stemming from Stonewall.
The book isn't entirely about Stonewall, but it's clearly the event that seemed to cause the LGBTQ+ community to speak out and fight for their rights and lead to a wider acceptance of the community in society over time, however, the book also discusses that there's still work to be done and that the LGBTQ+ community still deals with hate crime against them, etc.
Overall, I feel this is a good bare bones introduction to Stonewall and LGBTQ+ history, and more reading would need to be done to have a fuller understanding. It's a children's book and the books in this series are generally short, so I'm sure those are the reasons more wasn't covered. I'd recommend it, though!
The book isn't entirely about Stonewall, but it's clearly the event that seemed to cause the LGBTQ+ community to speak out and fight for their rights and lead to a wider acceptance of the community in society over time, however, the book also discusses that there's still work to be done and that the LGBTQ+ community still deals with hate crime against them, etc.
Overall, I feel this is a good bare bones introduction to Stonewall and LGBTQ+ history, and more reading would need to be done to have a fuller understanding. It's a children's book and the books in this series are generally short, so I'm sure those are the reasons more wasn't covered. I'd recommend it, though!
June 30, 2020
While recent events have happened since publication, this is a great summary of Stonewall and the Gay Rights Movement as a whole. Great for upper elementary/middle school. Highly recommend adding this to your classroom library!
CW: police brutality, mentions of suicide, mentions of violence and murder
Summary: This book tells the story of the Stonewall Riot and the Gay Rights Movement in general. The history of the Pride Parade is explained, as are many important events in LGBTQ+ history. The book, like others in the series, brakes historical topics down into easy to understand pieces and points out the people that played a role in making history. Historical figures in this book include Harvey Milk, Marsha P Johnson and Craig Rodwell. The book also discussed the AIDS crisis and the Pulse Nightclub Shooting and how they relate to the movement.
Full review: https://kingandqueenofillea.tumblr.co...
CW: police brutality, mentions of suicide, mentions of violence and murder
Summary: This book tells the story of the Stonewall Riot and the Gay Rights Movement in general. The history of the Pride Parade is explained, as are many important events in LGBTQ+ history. The book, like others in the series, brakes historical topics down into easy to understand pieces and points out the people that played a role in making history. Historical figures in this book include Harvey Milk, Marsha P Johnson and Craig Rodwell. The book also discussed the AIDS crisis and the Pulse Nightclub Shooting and how they relate to the movement.
Full review: https://kingandqueenofillea.tumblr.co...
July 18, 2019
3.5 stars. Three chapters on the riots with some context building before that. The rest was about the impact of the riots and the fight for equality since then for the LGBTQ+ community and other community issues such as the AIDS crisis. As an introduction to the civil rights movement for the gay community, this is a decent resource. I was expecting more on Stonewall specifically. This book focuses on a broad survey of information instead of going deep into any one area. If kids are looking for an introduction to gay rights issues, this is a fine place to start, but if they are really interested in the topic, or if they have already been doing research, they will want to go to more in depth materials.
February 9, 2022
This has been on my shelf forever because my daughter got it out of the library and I wanted to read it too. LGBTQ+ history is something I know very little about. I didn’t even know what Stonewall was when I read this, which surprised my mom when I told her! I was glad to learn more and found this book straightforward and informative. I could have lived without calling Ellen Degeneres beloved since the allegations about her toxic work environment came out. Reading this made me even more frustrated at certain groups today who are quick to consider themselves oppressed or marginalized or even compare themselves to actual genocide victims. Learning more of the history that some states are trying to ban could possibly help people to see what real discrimination is.
March 14, 2024
As a CIS gendered white male from the Mid-west I had heard the word Stonewall in relation to the LGBTQ+ movement I just had no idea what is was. For all I knew it was a literal wall of stone that was somehow a marker for where a riot or demonstration took place. I found this book very educational as a person trying to be an ally, but not ready to dive into a 300 page treatise on Queer culture. In addition to the events that occured at the StoneWall in this book gives a basic overview of the history of queer people and their journey in America. I would recommend it for anybody whose child is not an infant or toddler, but upper elementary and ready to have the discussion about who LGBTQ+ people are.
June 17, 2024
I read this with my 9 year old since it's Pride month, and I wanted to use this month to help him understand the history behind Pride.
This book was a great intro into Stonewall and everything that happened there. It also discusses how things have changed today...well, not today today since this book was written a few years ago. That's one downside about it that it's not 100% current, but it does do a great job with Stonewall. I did feel it was a little on the short side though, but that's probably just me.
Be sure to check it out if you'd like an intro into Stonewall or if you'd like a great intro for kids between 8 - 12.
This book was a great intro into Stonewall and everything that happened there. It also discusses how things have changed today...well, not today today since this book was written a few years ago. That's one downside about it that it's not 100% current, but it does do a great job with Stonewall. I did feel it was a little on the short side though, but that's probably just me.
Be sure to check it out if you'd like an intro into Stonewall or if you'd like a great intro for kids between 8 - 12.
September 27, 2019
Great beginning/primer book for anyone wanting to learn/share LGBTQ+ history. Perfect for the age group these books cater to and for putting in public schools to help start spreading awareness. This history is still not taught in 2019 and many schools/communities/individuals are still working hard to create piece and understanding. I personally found resources that I will check into and give to students who need them. For a quick read, I learned a lot and feel more would be overwhelming for students just starting to learn about LGBTQ+ history.
June 3, 2020
While I was surprised that the section for Stonewall seemed so short – though well laid out in it’s timeline– It more so fueled my interest than anything else. The narrative in this book covers times from the 1920’s into the Aid crisis and modern day America.
Ultimately, this is a great beginner’s resource guide for learning about Stonewall and other historical LGBTQ+ moments sparknotes style. Clean and to the point, but only just the beginning.
Ultimately, this is a great beginner’s resource guide for learning about Stonewall and other historical LGBTQ+ moments sparknotes style. Clean and to the point, but only just the beginning.
July 6, 2020
Im a straight cis woman, I read this book with my son. We read this with a few other books during gay pride season. I believe that it was just the right amount of information for an eight-year-old. Yes there could have been a little more information about Marsha, but we can always find a book about her specifically. Because of the nature going on into the world we were trying to talk about rights. And gay rights are human rights.
January 2, 2021
I was hoping this would work for my 4th grade classroom. I would feel comfortable with my own 4th grade child reading this and, but the section on HIV and sexually transmitted diseases is a little out of the range of appropriateness for my classroom. Everything else would be completely appropriate and informative for the younger crowd, but that chapter makes this book more suited for an older, maybe 6th or 7th grade, class.
June 20, 2023
I honestly love this book series so much because they introduce some very important people and historical events to kids in a way that is informative and that doesn’t sugar coat it either.
I LOVEEE that they featured this very important historic event and I actually learned so many things that I didn’t know. This book was so engaging and so cool and I’m so happy that kids will read and learn about so many wonderful people that made people’s lives better in the present and future.
I LOVEEE that they featured this very important historic event and I actually learned so many things that I didn’t know. This book was so engaging and so cool and I’m so happy that kids will read and learn about so many wonderful people that made people’s lives better in the present and future.
March 18, 2019
With the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, there are going to be lots of books commemorating the event. And, I'm glad it's getting covered in this popular series. While this is a good introduction, it is a bit over the place and tackles subjects that don't really do justice in just a page or two.
September 22, 2019
This book offers a detailed look at the events and attitudes that led up to the Stonewall Uprising, as well as the advances for equal rights that followed and that still continue to be fought for today. This is a great book to have in a classroom library as we work to ensure that all people's stories are honored as we strive for greater equality.
September 11, 2020
What Was Stonewall? by Nico Medina
We love queer representation for kids! This was so well done. Its not whitewashed, which I was worried about. Talks about the cops candidly. Covers the AIDS epidemic. Profiles Marsha P Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. It’s just really good introduction. Please have your kiddos read this!
5/5⭐️
We love queer representation for kids! This was so well done. Its not whitewashed, which I was worried about. Talks about the cops candidly. Covers the AIDS epidemic. Profiles Marsha P Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. It’s just really good introduction. Please have your kiddos read this!
5/5⭐️
July 17, 2021
I read this as research for a speech I was writing. It was very informative and really helped me to understand what actually happened at Stonewall. It’s an important piece of US history we should be taught more about in school. This is a great introduction to LGBTQ history for younger readers. It explains all the new terminology while still being engaging. I’d buy it for any classroom.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews