Historical Calendar - May 21st

• 1970 - Bella Abzug becomes one of the first major U.S. politicians to openly court the gay vote as she addresses a meeting of the Gay Activists Alliance while running for Congress in New York City.
• 1975 - A Chorus Line opens on Broadway.
• 1976 - Candidate Jimmy Carter announces that if elected he will support and sign a federal civil rights bill outlawing discrimination against gays and lesbians.
• 1979 - Dan White is found guilty of lesser charges (voluntary manslaughter), but acquited on murder charges, stemming from his assassination of S. F. Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. Protests following the verdict turn into a riot.
• 1985 - The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules that Georgia's sodomy laws are unconstitutional. (Note - this ruling is later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.)