The parade has become a popular vehicle for showcasing LGBT pride. An unabashed celebration, the parade is a living, breathing manifestation of the out-and-proud mantra, putting the LGBT community on full display.

However, the history of the parade comes from less celebratory roots, tied more to political activism and protests. Born out of necessity, it was a reaction to commemorate one of the most important events in gay rights history.

The spark

On June 28, 1969, a riot broke out at the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in downtown Manhattan. Police had been known to raid the club from time to time, but on that night, the patrons fought back. A protest broke out, with police and community members clashing through the night, and for the rest of the week.

That was 45 years ago, and it was the spark that ignited the beginning of the gay rights movement, which has snowballed into a much larger movement for the entire LGBT community.

The front of the Stonewall Inn in 2012. Image: Flickr, Matt Green

In 1970, the first gay pride event, called the Christopher Street Liberation Day (CSLD) March, was organized to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall riots. People gathered all over the city, marching on Sixth Avenue from Greenwich Village to Central Park. Soon, commemorative marches in other cities, like Los Angeles, starting to spring up.

Because of its celebratory nature, people often refer to the CSLD March as a parade, though it was always intended, and specifically called, a march. Its roots came from a somber place. Fred Sargeant, a man who attended the actual event, wrote a first-person account of the march for the Village Voice in 2010, writing that there were "no floats, no music, no boys in briefs." Instead, they held signs and banners, and chanted: “Say it clear, say it loud. Gay is good, gay is proud.”

"This was long before anyone had heard of a 'Gay Pride March,'" Sargeant writes. "Back then, it took a new sense of audacity and courage to take that giant step into the streets of Midtown Manhattan."

According to the Advocate, an LGBT news source, the first actual parade was the sister event held in Los Angeles, because it was the first event of its kind to be sanctioned by the city. It was a true parade, in every sense of the word.

The modern movement

Chris Frederick, the managing director of NYC Pride, tells Mashable that the city's pride events are not officially called "parades."

"We still call ours a march to show our respects and commemorate the history of what these events started out as originally," he writes via email. "We have said that once the LGBT community no longer faces discrimination and hate worldwide we will then identify the march as a parade."

Over the years, though, parades have evolved into pure celebrations, putting the LGBT community on cheerful, proud display.

By the 1980s, most major cities in the U.S. held a pride parade, with the tradition soon spreading to various parts of the globe.

People march down the street in a 1985 Chicago pride parade. Image: Flickr, Alan Light

Modern-day parades include dance parties, "best dressed in drag" contests, creative floats and celebrity appearances. LGBT activists who have stood out in the community often receive awards and recognition for their efforts.

Why a parade?

Participants ride by on a float during a 2006 pride parade in Indianapolis, Indiana. Image: Flickr, Matt B.

The oft-echoed reason for the necessity of a parade is that there is still work to be done. There is still a lack of equality and there are still people who are afraid of coming out. The jovial and unrepressed nature of a parade can be inspiring.

Another reason? It's just fun, writes travel blogger Adam Groffman. In a movement that is so frequently grabbing headlines for issues such as marriage inequality and bullying against LGBT youth, it's even more imperative to balance that out with an image of "fun and cheer."

Parades have also come to reflect the face of the LGBT movement, whether it's "a group of activists in the 70s, to the somber tones of the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 80s, to the liberated muscle boys of the 90s," Frederick tells Mashable. These days, modern parades showcase families with their children, mirroring advances of marriage equality, he says.

A pride parade takes place in LA, in 1990. Image: Flickr, Alan Light

They're still a powerful source of celebration for the LGBT community, and Frederick believes they will continue as an LGBT tradition for years to come. The unifying aspect is celebrating acceptance, pure and simple.

"There will always be that 16- or 17-year-old kid who doesn't necessarily realize they are part of something much bigger than they ever anticipated," Frederick says.

That alone is a reason to celebrate.