January 1, 1962 — Illinois' new criminal code goes into effect, making it the first state in the United States to strike down sodomy laws, thus decriminalizing homosexuality.
January 1 — San Francisco police arrest gay and lesbian party-goers at a fund-raising ball for the Council on Religion and the Homosexual, held at California Hall, an event which galvanizes the local gay and lesbian community
April 17 — Ten gay and lesbian protesters picket the White House in Washington, D.C., the first in a series of protests staged this year by East Coast Homophile Organization (ECHO)