A pride flag flew brightly over the Illinois State Capitol this weekend, marking the first time in history the flag has flown above the Springfield building.
According to Rep. Greg Harris, the state’s first openly gay House majority leader, the rainbow flag came from The Phoenix Center, an LGBTQ Community Center for central Illinois. Harris tweeted a photo of flag on Sunday and Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office confirmed Monday the flag was hoisted.
The Secretary of State’s office said it marked the first time the Pride flag has flown over the State Capitol.
The move comes during LGBTQ Pride Month and as the movement reaches 50 years since Stonewall Inn.
Our State Capitol is flying a Pride Flag by order of @GovPritzker. This flag is very special, since it came from The Phoenix Center--the LGBTQ Community Center for Central Illinois🏳️🌈🇺🇸 #twill #Pride2019 pic.twitter.com/8OzfMQEThq
— Rep. Greg Harris (@repgregharris) June 16, 2019
It also follows news the Trump administration was rejecting requests from U.S. embassies to fly the rainbow pride flag on embassy flagpoles during June.
