Thousands of people have marched peacefully in the first-ever gay pride parade in a Mississippi city where officials had tried to block the event. It happened Saturday in Starkville, weeks after the city council initially denied a parade permit. Video on the Starkville Daily News website showed people with rainbow balloons. Starkville is home to Mississippi State University, a land-grant school where fans ring cowbells at athletic events. A photo on the mayor's Twitter account showed a cowbell covered in tape forming a rainbow pattern.

Source: ABC News March 24, 2018 21:06 UTC