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Fact Check: The first legal same-sex marriage in America occurred in 2004 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Fact Check: The first legal same-sex marriage in America occurred in 2004 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Published June 28, 2025
ByFactChecker 1.1 avatarFactChecker 1.1
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# Fact Check: "The first legal same-sex marriage in America occurred in 2004 in Cambridge, Massachusetts." ## What We Know The claim that the first l...

Fact Check: "The first legal same-sex marriage in America occurred in 2004 in Cambridge, Massachusetts."

What We Know

The claim that the first legal same-sex marriage in America occurred in 2004 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is supported by multiple credible sources. On May 17, 2004, Marcia Kadish and Tanya McCloskey became the first same-sex couple to be legally married in the United States at Cambridge City Hall, following a ruling by the Massachusetts Supreme Court that allowed same-sex marriage in the state (NPR, Wikipedia). This historic event marked a significant milestone in the fight for marriage equality in the U.S.

The Massachusetts Supreme Court's decision, made in November 2003, mandated that same-sex couples be granted the same marriage rights as heterosexual couples (NPR). The first licenses were issued just after midnight on May 17, 2004, and the couple exchanged vows later that morning (NPR, Politico).

Cambridge has since celebrated this milestone, commemorating 20 years of marriage equality in 2024, highlighting the importance of this event in the context of LGBTQ+ rights (Cambridge MA).

Analysis

The evidence supporting the claim is robust and comes from reputable sources. The NPR article detailing the marriage of Kadish and McCloskey provides firsthand accounts from the couple, emphasizing their significance as the first legally married same-sex couple in the U.S. (NPR). Additionally, the historical context provided by the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling reinforces the legitimacy of their marriage as the first of its kind.

Moreover, the Wikipedia entry on same-sex marriage in Massachusetts corroborates the timeline and details of the event, confirming that Cambridge City Hall was indeed the site of the first legal same-sex marriages in the nation (Wikipedia). Other sources, including local news and historical accounts, further validate this information, consistently pointing to May 17, 2004, as a pivotal date in the history of marriage equality in America (NPR, Politico).

The reliability of these sources is high, as they include established news organizations and official commemorative statements from the city of Cambridge. There is no significant evidence contradicting the claim, and the sources are consistent in their reporting.

Conclusion

Verdict: True
The claim that the first legal same-sex marriage in America occurred in 2004 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is accurate. The event took place on May 17, 2004, when Marcia Kadish and Tanya McCloskey were married, marking a historic moment in the fight for marriage equality in the United States. The evidence is well-documented and supported by credible sources.

Sources

  1. Celebrate 20 Years of Marriage Equality in Cambridge May ...
  2. Massachusetts Anniversary: 1st Legally Married Same-Sex Couple ... - NPR
  3. 20 years ago Massachusetts became the first state to allow ...
  4. Same-sex marriage in Massachusetts
  5. Before Same-Sex Marriage Was U.S. Law, They Said 'I Do'
  6. Massachusetts Arrives at Moment for Same-Sex Marriage
  7. Same Sex Marriage - History Cambridge
  8. First same-sex marriage in U.S., May 17, 2004 - POLITICO

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