Richard John Baker and James Michael McConnell are the first same-sex couple in the world known to have obtained a marriage license and have their marriage solemnized, which occurred on September 3, 1971, and be legally recognized by any civil government.
The couple met in 1966. On March 10, 1967 – Baker's 25th birthday – McConnell agreed to be "his lover" but only if it meant "a commitment . . . for the long haul," living openly as a married couple. That commitment continued long after "52 Years Since Same-sex Marriage Milestone".
