Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin at their City Hall wedding in February of 2004.

February 3, 1874

On this date in 1874, Gertrude Stein, author and life partner of Alice B. Toklas, was born in Pennsylvania. She was raised in Oakland.

February 27, 1932

On this date in 1932, Elizabeth Taylor was born near London. The actress would later become one of the first and foremost AIDS advocates.

February 25, 1983

On this date in 1983, Tennessee Williams III (A Streetcar Named Desire), who is honored on Castro’s Rainbow Honor Walk, died in New York City.

February 16, 1990

On this date in 1990, artist and social activist Keith Haring, who is honored on Castro’s Rainbow Honor Walk, of AIDS-related complications.

February 17, 1994

On this date in 1951, journalist/author Randy Shilts (The Mayor of Castro Street; And the Band Played On) died in Guerneville, California.

February 28, 1994

On this date in 1994, the Clinton Administration formally implemented the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy mandating that LGB service members remain closeted.

February 24, 2003

VaxGen, a San Francisco-based biotechnology company, announced that its AIDSVAX vaccine trial failed to reduce overall HIV infection rates among those who were vaccinated.

February 12, 2004

On this date in 2004, San Francisco began to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon were the first to wed.

February 7, 2012

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in California, based in San Francisco, upheld Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker decision to overturn Proposition 8.

February 15, 2015

On this date in 2015, the Imperial Court celebrated its 50th anniversary with a gala in the rotunda of San Francisco’s City Hall.