The first Pride flag was flown on 25 June 1978 during the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day parade, according to Britannica. A flag really fits that mission because that’s a way of proclaiming your visibility or saying, ‘This is who I am!’”Įach colour stands for a different component of the community: He had been in office for less than a year.īaker later said in an interview: “Our job as gay people was to come out, to be visible, to live in the truth, as I say, to get out of the lie. Milk was assassinated in November 1978 by Dan White, the former San Francisco supervisor, fireman and policeman. Inspired by the lyrics of Judy Garland’s Over the Rainbow, Baker was urged by Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the US, to create a symbol of pride for the gay community. It dates back to 1978, when San Francisco Activist, Gilbert Baker, designed the first rainbow flag.
It's often seen at Pride celebrations, festivals and in the homes of thousands. The rainbow flag has become synonymous with the celebration of the LGBTQ+ community.