At 50 years old, DeLarverie is believed by some to havethrown the first punch, which sparked a three-day protest and ignited the modern gay civil rights movement. On the night of June 28th, 1969, patrons of the now iconic Greenwich Village gay bar, Stonewall Inn, fought back against the harassment they faced at the hands of the city police force. The Revue was a favorite act on the black theater circuit and regularly played the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York. The Jewel Box Revue was the first racially integrated show of its kind and attracted multiracial and mainstream audiences. She was one of the most successful male impersonators of her day.
![black leather jacket with gay pride symbol black leather jacket with gay pride symbol](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ARgAAOSwEvZcAmSr/s-l400.jpg)
![black leather jacket with gay pride symbol black leather jacket with gay pride symbol](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/45/3c/6a/453c6a489047c052cdd71d70ec0f6717.jpg)
The show was dubbed “25 men and 1 girl,” as DeLarverie was the sole male impersonator among a cast of men performing as women. Through the 1950s and ‘60s, DeLarverie was the emcee and Master of Ceremonies of the Jewel Box Revue, a traveling variety show. She was known for being a singer, male impersonator, bouncer, and gay civil rights activist.
![black leather jacket with gay pride symbol black leather jacket with gay pride symbol](https://i1.wp.com/mrleathershop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/gay-leather-outfit-01.jpg)
DeLarverie was born Decemin New Orleans, Louisiana, to an African American mother and a white father. The collection includes letters, programs, flyers, newspaper clippings, certificates, photographs, videos, and audiotapes. The Schomburg Center for Research of Black Culture recently acquired a collection from performer and gay rights activist, Storme DeLarverie. In honor of Pride Month, Schomburg Librarians Tiana Taliep and Megan Williams write about the importance of one of our newest acquisitions, icon Storme DeLarverie's personal archive: