Obama Names Stonewall National Monument; First for Gay Rights

And now, after more than 45 years since the uprising, Stonewall National Monument will tell the story of the LGBT community’s struggle for civil rights.

In June of 1969, gay patrons at the bar fought back against police persecution-an event that’s widely seen as a watershed in the campaign for LGBT rights.

A year after the riots, the Christopher Street Liberation Day Umbrella Committee sponsored the first ever Pride march. “The protests became a movement”.

“There are places in America so powerful, they helped shape our nation’s history and culture, and must never be forgotten”, said Theresa Pierno, President and CEO for National Parks Conservation Association.

The monument’s boundary encompasses about 7.7 acres of land that constitutes Christopher Park, the Stonewall Inn and the surrounding streets and sidewalks that were the site of the Stonewall riots.

Pride parades are staged in over 135 cities worldwide, including Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle this Sunday, to commemorate the Stonewall rebellion.

The Stonewall uprising was considered a major step forward for gay rights, laying the groundwork for the modern LGBT rights movement.

Approval of the transfer was made possible by state legislation sponsored by New York State Senator Brad Hoylman and New York State Assembly member Deborah Glick, which was signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

“So this week, I’m dedicating the Stonewall National Monument as the newest edition to America’s national parks system”, Obama continues.

The protected area will include Christopher Park across from the Stonewall Inn in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, which has long served as a landmark for the LGBT community. Since 1969, NY has led the nation in the fight for LGBT rights.

A memorial to the victims of the Orlando massacre grew outside New York City’s Stonewall Inn, one of the oldest gay bars in the country. “This is a great tribute the courage, leadership, and action of the LGBTQ community in our continuing quest for full freedom, justice and equality”. It is called Stonewall National Monument.

In his announcement, Mr Obama said that the tragedy in Orlando is evidence that LGBTQ people still “face acts of violence, discrimination, and hate”, noting that “LGBT people of colour are especially at risk”. Together they secured more than 26,000 signatures on NPCA’s petition calling on President Obama to create a national park for Stonewall.