Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Stonewall |
StonewallVerb1. Obstruct or hinder any discussion of. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "stonewall" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1863. (references) |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
(Stonewall redirects here. There is also a place named Stonewall, Louisiana.)
The Stonewall riots were a series of violent conflicts between homosexuals and police officers in New York City. The riot began on Friday, June 27, 1969 outside the Stonewall Inn, a gay hangout in Greenwich Village. "Stonewall", as it is often called, is considered the start of the modern gay rights movement in the U.S and worldwide. It was the first time any significant body of gays resisted arrest.
Prior to Stonewall, police raids on gay bars and nightclubs were a regular part of gay life in cities across the United States. Commonly the police would record the identities of all those present, which would be subsequently published in the newspaper, then load up their police van with as many gays as it would hold. Kissing, holding hands, or even being in a gay bar at all were used as grounds for arrest on indecency charges at that time.
The Stonewall raid started out just like any other raid on a gay bar. Seven plainclothes policemen entered the bar along with one uniformed policeman, allegedly to investigate improprieties in the liquor license. They cleared the bar, whose clientele remained on the sidewalk and street outside.
Some of the people outside the bar that night began to toss coins at the police, making fun of the system in which regular raids were a part of extorting payoffs from the bar owners. The gay bar system in New York at the time was widely corrupt. Many gay bars were owned by the Mafia, and operated by a form of payola called gayola, paying off the police to look the other way.
Details about what happened next vary from story to story. The situation quickly got out of control, as there were 400 gay people outside of the bar, milling around, so the stories are confused and sometimes contradictory. One story says the situation escalated when a drag queen stood in the doorway and defied the police. Another says a butch lesbian started it. Either way, at some point the situation took a dramatic turn for the worse, and the police began beating people who resisted with their nightsticks. Several were sent to the hospital, and one teenage boy lost two fingers after police slammed his hand in a car door.
The crowd started throwing rocks and bottles rather than coins. The police took refuge inside the Inn, which they trashed. They also beat a heterosexual folk singer Dave Van Ronk, a man who was present and who has since documented much of the event. He says effeminate men were singled out for special treatment.
While the police were inside, someone sprayed lighter fluid through the door and attempted to light it. The crowd used a parking meter as a battering ram. All across the district, residents, many of whom were gay, rushed to the scene and the crowd swelled. They began to chant "Gay Power!"
The police sent additional forces in the form of the Tactical Patrol Force, a riot-control squad originally trained to counter anti-Vietnam War protesters. However, they were completely unsuccessful at breaking up the crowd, who sprayed them with rocks and other projectiles. At one point they were presented with a chorus line of mocking queens, singing:
Eventually the scene quieted down, but the crowd returned again the next night. Anger and outrage against the way police had treated gay people for decades previously burst to the surface. Leaflets were handed out saying, "Get the Mafia and cops out of gay bars!" Protests continued every night for the next five days.
- We are the Stonewall girls
- We wear our hair in curls
- We wear no underwear
- We show our pubic hair
- We wear our dungarees
- Above our nelly knees!
It is not known why the bar's occupants decided to rise up that night, after so many years of persecution; but a popular folk legend in the gay community says that emotions were riding high after the death of Judy Garland.
The forces that were simmering before the riots were now no longer beneath the surface. The legacy of the days of rioting includes the organizations that came out of it. Within the next year, the Gay Liberation Front was formed, as well as similar organizations in countries around the world including Canada, France, Britain, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand.
The month of June sees gay pride celebrations around the world, and the New York City Gay Pride March is held on the last Sunday of June, in honor of Stonewall. See: pride parade.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Stonewall riots."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Stonewall is a town located in De Soto Parish, Louisiana. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 1,668.Geography
Stonewall is located at 32°16'2" North, 93°49'25" West (32.267345, -93.823589)1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 19.3 km² (7.4 mi²). 19.3 km² (7.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.13% is water.Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 1,668 people, 642 households, and 489 families residing in the town. The population density is 86.6/km² (224.3/mi²). There are 710 housing units at an average density of 36.8/km² (95.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 89.03% White, 6.83% African American, 1.68% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 1.32% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. 2.28% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 642 households out of which 33.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.8% are married couples living together, 10.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 23.8% are non-families. 21.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.60 and the average family size is 3.03. In the town the population is spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 38 years. For every 100 females there are 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 93.1 males. The median income for a household in the town is $39,375, and the median income for a family is $46,620. Males have a median income of $34,205 versus $25,263 for females. The per capita income for the town is $17,434. 10.4% of the population and 8.5% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 13.0% are under the age of 18 and 7.3% are 65 or older.Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Stonewall, Louisiana."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Stonewall is a town located in Clarke County, Mississippi. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 1,149.Geography
Stonewall is located at 32°8'2" North, 88°47'33" West (32.133872, -88.792363)1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.9 km² (2.7 mi²). 6.8 km² (2.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.38% is water.Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 1,149 people, 461 households, and 319 families residing in the town. The population density is 168.0/km² (435.4/mi²). There are 542 housing units at an average density of 79.3/km² (205.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 75.37% White, 23.67% African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.00% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.09% from other races, and 0.35% from two or more races. 0.44% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 461 households out of which 30.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% are married couples living together, 16.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% are non-families. 27.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.49 and the average family size is 3.05. In the town the population is spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 87.0 males. The median income for a household in the town is $23,125, and the median income for a family is $31,172. Males have a median income of $26,477 versus $22,404 for females. The per capita income for the town is $12,930. 23.8% of the population and 18.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 34.6% are under the age of 18 and 16.0% are 65 or older.Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Stonewall, Mississippi."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Stonewall is a town located in Pamlico County, North Carolina. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 285.Geography
Stonewall is located at 35°8'15" North, 76°44'51" West (35.137414, -76.747516)1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 5.3 km² (2.0 mi²). 4.4 km² (1.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.9 km² (0.4 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 17.65% water.Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 285 people, 118 households, and 80 families residing in the town. The population density is 65.5/km² (169.5/mi²). There are 133 housing units at an average density of 30.6/km² (79.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 74.39% White, 22.11% African American, 0.00% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.70% from other races, and 2.11% from two or more races. 1.05% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 118 households out of which 28.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% are married couples living together, 12.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% are non-families. 27.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.42 and the average family size is 2.96. In the town the population is spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 females there are 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 101.9 males. The median income for a household in the town is $30,000, and the median income for a family is $45,000. Males have a median income of $28,625 versus $17,143 for females. The per capita income for the town is $16,425. 5.5% of the population and 4.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 3.6% are under the age of 18 and 8.3% are 65 or older.Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Stonewall, North Carolina."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Stonewall is a town located in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 465.Geography
Stonewall is located at 34°39'4" North, 96°31'36" West (34.651099, -96.526655)1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.8 km² (0.3 mi²). 0.8 km² (0.3 mi²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 465 people, 195 households, and 127 families residing in the town. The population density is 561.1/km² (1,435.7/mi²). There are 238 housing units at an average density of 287.2/km² (734.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 72.69% White, 5.59% African American, 16.34% Native American, 0.00% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 4.95% from two or more races. 3.66% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 195 households out of which 28.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% are married couples living together, 16.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% are non-families. 31.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 14.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.38 and the average family size is 3.04. In the town the population is spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 82.6 males. The median income for a household in the town is $19,135, and the median income for a family is $22,813. Males have a median income of $20,500 versus $14,792 for females. The per capita income for the town is $9,741. 25.9% of the population and 23.5% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 25.8% are under the age of 18 and 29.3% are 65 or older.Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Stonewall, Oklahoma."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Stonewall is a town located in Gillespie County, Texas. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 469.Geography
Stonewall is located at 30°14'24" North, 98°39'36" West (30.240069, -98.659942)1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 39.3 km² (15.2 mi²). 39.3 km² (15.2 mi²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 469 people, 176 households, and 133 families residing in the town. The population density is 11.9/km² (30.9/mi²). There are 203 housing units at an average density of 5.2/km² (13.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 81.24% White, 0.00% African American, 0.00% Native American, 0.00% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 17.91% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 35.18% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 176 households out of which 34.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% are married couples living together, 13.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% are non-families. 20.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.8% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.66 and the average family size is 3.07. In the town the population is spread out with 28.1% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 37 years. For every 100 females there are 103.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.6 males. The median income for a household in the town is $36,210, and the median income for a family is $37,721. Males have a median income of $29,531 versus $30,083 for females. The per capita income for the town is $22,035. 17.1% of the population and 19.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 30.2% are under the age of 18 and 32.0% are 65 or older.Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Stonewall, Texas."
Crosswords: Stonewall |
| Non-English Usage: "Stonewall" is also a word in the following language with the English translation in parentheses. French (Stonewall). |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | I'm not too fond of our Stonewall Jackson, either (The Simpsons; writing credit: Artur Brauner; Paul Hengge) Look! There is Jackson standing like a Stonewall! Let us determine to die here today and we will conquer, Rally behind the Virginians (Gods and Generals; writing credit: Ronald F. Maxwell) | |
Movie/TV Titles | Stonewall Jackson's Way (1914) To the Aid of Stonewall Jackson (1911) After Stonewall (1999) Before Stonewall (1984) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title |
Books | |
Theater & Movies | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Line engraving published in "The Soldier in Our Civil War", Volume I. It depicts USS Varuna in the center, being rammed by a Confederate ship identified as "Breckinridge" (at left) while engaging CSS Governor Moore (at right) during the battle off Forts Jackson and St. Philip, 24 April 1862. The side-wheel steamer identified here as "Breckinridge" (General Breckinridge), is more probably the Stonewall Jackson. Credit: NAVY. |  | Two-page spread of line engravings, published in "Harper's Weekly", 3 February 1866. U.S. ships depicted include (at left, top to bottom): Dictator, Manayunk, Ozark, Onondaga, and Roanoke; (in center, top to bottom): Stonewall (ex CSS Stonewall), New Ironsides with Monadnock, and the interior of a monitor's Ericsson turret with two XV-inch Dahlgren guns; (at right, top to bottom): Weehawken, Atlanta (ex CSS Atlanta), Yazoo, Tennessee (ex CSS Tennessee), and Dunderberg. Credit: NAVY. |
 | Burning of the steamer Stonewall, on the Mississippi River, October 28th, during which upward of two hundred lives were lost. Credit: Library of Congress. |  | Washington, D.C. Ex-Confederate iron-clad ram Stonewall at anchor; U.S. Capitol in the background. Credit: Library of Congress. |
 | Stonewall Jackson Monument, Richmond, Va. Credit: Library of Congress. |  | Statue of Stonewall Jackson, Richmond, Va. Credit: Library of Congress. |
 | The escape of Stonewall Jackson's Army down the valley pike at Strausburg [sic], Va. Credit: Library of Congress. |  | Attack of Genl. Ewell's Corps (Johnston's division), formerly under Stonewall Jackson, on the right flank of the Union Army on Culp's Hill held by the 12th Corps (Gen. Slocum) during the battle of Gettysburg. Credit: Library of Congress. |
 | The Place were Stonewall Jackson fell, mortally wounded. Credit: Library of Congress. |  | The above is a true picture of Stonewall Jackson and his boyhood home, situated on the West Fork River, Lewis Co., W. Va. Credit: Library of Congress. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
 |  |
| "Stonewall" by Thorarinn Stefansson Commentary: "A stonewall in my parents garden." | "Sunclock" by Stefanie Varga Commentary: "A sunclock on a stonewall, taken at The Tower of London, Autumn 2002." |
Source: photographs selected by the editor, with permission from the photographers. | |
| "Stonewall" is generally used as a noun (proper) -- approximately 44.44% of the time. "Stonewall" is used about 9 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (proper) | 44.44% | 4 | 175,879 |
| Lexical Verb (infinitive) | 33.33% | 3 | 202,518 |
| Noun (singular) | 22.22% | 2 | 245,945 |
| Total | 100.00% | 9 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| The following table summarizes the usage of "stonewall" based on a population census conducted in the United States. Ranks and frequencies are based on all names reported and classified. |
| Name | Usage/Gender | Usage per 100 million Persons | Rank in USA |
| Stonewall | Last name | 130 | 67,481 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits. | |||
1. Stonewall, LA (town, FIPS 73395) 2. Stonewall, MS (town, FIPS 70760) 3. Stonewall, NC (town, FIPS 65120) 4. Stonewall, OK (town, FIPS 70500) |
Expressions using "stonewall": Stonewall County ♦ Stonewall Jackson. Additional references. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Language | Translations for "stonewall"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Albanian | Kundërshtoj (censure, challenge, combat, condemn, contest, contradict, controvert, counter, cross, demur, deprecate, discountenance, discourage, dispute, flout, fly in the face of, gainsay, impugn, kick, mind, object, oppose, oppugn, protest, react, rebel, rebuke, rebut, recalcitrate, refuse, resist, retort, set one's face against, stick to, stickle, take exception to), Kundërshtim (censure, challenge, contradiction, contrast, demur, demurrer, deprecation, dispraise, exception, kick, objection, obtestation, opposition, protest, reaction, rebellion, rebuff, rebuttal, recalcitrance, retort, return, set down, stonewalling). (various references) | |
Arabic | منع الأخرين من الكلام, سور حجري, إحتكر الكلام, أعطى إجابات غامضة. (various references) | |
Bulgarian | Протакам Дебати, Правя Обструкции. (various references) | |
French | Stonewall, Monopoliser, Jouer Avec Prudence, Empêcher Les Autre De Parler, Donner Des Réponses Évasives. (various references) | |
German | Mauern (build, lay bricks, shell, to lay bricks, walls). (various references) | |
Hungarian | Rendíthetetlen (firm as a rock, grim, imperturbable, inexorable, insistent, shock-proof, stalwart, stanch, staunch, uncompromising, unflappable, unshakable, unshrinking), Kõfal, kőfal, Biztonsági Játékot Játszik (to play safe). (various references) | |
Italian | Ostacolare (bar, block, cross, delay, fetter, hamper, handicap, hinder, impede, interfere, militate against, obstruct, prevent, scotch, thwart). (various references) | |
Pig Latin | onewallstay.(various references) | |
Russian | устраивать обструкцию в парламенте, Оппозиция, задерживать сопротивление, Делать Обструкцию. (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | odugovlačiti (be slow, drag out, procrastinate, protract, spin, tarry, temporize), kameni zid. (various references) | |
Spanish | Emplear Una Táctica De Cerrojo. (various references) | |
Swedish | Spela Defensivt, Obstruera. (various references) | |
Turkish | Sıkı Savunma Yapmak, Sıkı Savunma (stonewalling), Taş Duvar, Muhalefet Yapmak. (various references) | |
Ukrainian | чинити Обструкцію, Опозиція, Парламентська Обструкція, Блокувати М'ячі. (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "stonewall": stonewalled, stonewaller, stonewallers, stonewalling, stonewalls. (additional references) | |
| |
"Stonewall" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: stonefall. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "stonewall" (pronounced stō"nwô'l) |
| 3 | -w ô' l | footwall. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-e-l-l-n-o-s-t-w" | |
-2 letters: etalons, stollen, swollen, tallows, tolanes, wallets. | |
-3 letters: allots, allows, anoles, atolls, atones, etalon, lanose, latens, lentos, llanos, lowest, osteal, owlets, sallet, sallow, santol, solate, stella, stolen, tallow, talons, telson, tolane, tolans, towels, wallet, weason. | |
-4 letters: aeons, allot, allow, aloes, alone, altos, anole, antes, atoll, atone, awols, elans, enols, enows, etnas, lanes, laten, lawns. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-e-l-l-n-o-s-t-w" | |
+1 letter: stonewalls. | |
+2 letters: stonewalled, stonewaller. | |
+3 letters: stonewallers, stonewalling, wollastonite. | |
+4 letters: wollastonites. | |
+5 letters: blanketflowers. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Crosswords 3. Usage: Modern 4. Usage: Commercial | 5. Images: Slideshow 6. Images: Photo Album 7. Images: Digital Art 8. Usage Frequency | 9. Names: Frequency 10. Cities 11. Expressions 12. Expressions: Internet | 13. Translations: Modern 14. Derivations 15. Rhymes 16. Anagrams | 17. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
