The first gay marriage in the USA

During the Vietnam War, North Vietnamese VietCong guerrillas built a vast network of tunnels in the south of the country as part of the insurgency against the South Vietnamese government and their American allies. The tunnel network was a key base and shelter for the North Vietna ...  Show more

On 1 January 2002, Bangladesh became the first country to ban single use plastic bags, following a unanimous parliamentary vote. In the gallery sat Shahriar Hossain, returning from years in exile to witness the outcome of a campaign he had helped to drive. The roots of that decis ...  Show more

Later this month the US Supreme Court is expected to rule on same sex marriage. But more than forty years ago a gay couple from Minnesota managed to get a marriage licence - and even had a Christian wedding ceremony. We look back at the story and speak to the Minister who married ...  Show more

June 21, 1998. Father's Day. At the Church of the Atonement in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, Jon and Michael Galluccio are ready to tie the knot, in front of family, friends, reporters, and one lone picketer. The Galluccios are already public figures—a few months earlier, they had secur ...  Show more

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service.In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country to legalise gay marriage. Four couples were chosen to take part in a collective wedding at midnight which was broadcast on TV. Hé ...  Show more