The legendary Stonewall Inn, the bar that helped launch the gay liberation movement, has been declared a New York City landmark.
The vote by the historical commission, a kind of gift in time for New York Pride, came after every single speaker at a public hearing supported the designation.
On June 28, 1969, NYPD officers raided the Inn around 1:20 a.m. on the hunt for “bootlegged alcohol” while harassing two hundred patrons and arresting many.
At the time of the raid, the bar, located at 51 and 53 Christopher Street, was owned by the Genovese Mafia. On that warm summer night, the crowd for the first time resisted the cops imposition and rather than simply going with the police officers, many fought back, igniting the Stonewall Riots that quickly spread around the surrounding area of the West Village and came to symbolize the fight for equality under the law.
The Stonewall Inn was already part of the city’s Greenwich Village Historical District and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999, but city landmark designation was needed to preserve the building and fully honor its significance in the annals of the western world.
Alexis Barros
“Queens”, really? ð???
Chris
Let’s not forget that it was the drag queens who led the fights.
The importance of events often becomes clear only in hindsight. I remember reading about the “Twinkie Defense” that was mounted by Dan White and thinking it was simply one of the most ridiculous things I’d ever read. However, through that article, I was introduced to George Moscone and Harvey Milk, the latter of whose importance to gay rights has been well-established. [Their assassination opened a career path for Dianne Feinstein, who then became mayor of San Francisco…..]
I think of Stonewall in much the same way. At that time, the term “gay” was seldom, if ever, used. I read a headline (if you could say that an article’s being buried in the back pages of a newspaper means it even rated a headline) to the effect that “homosexuals riot.” Only later did I learn about the important roles played by “effeminate” drag queens.
Yeah, this was an important event. I’m grateful to have lived long enough to see its importance recognized in such a concrete manner.
TransParency_
@Chris: It wasn’t “drag queens”, it was Transwomen who fought and won this fight for gays and lesbians. If Cis Homos like yourself took the time to do your research, you’d realize how much you owe transgender people. Stop trying to erase us.
Giancarlo85
@TransParency_: You’re not trans. You’re just a troll trying to mock trans people with your own parody of “support”.
lykeitiz
Its currently only in half of the space it was in at the time of the riots. It would be nice to see the whole space get restored to its original design.
Either way though, this is great news.
Prinny
Bla bla bla Stonewall bla bla trans bla bla bla.
AtticusBennett
yes. the Queens fought back. the marginalized. the outcast. the weirdos. the non-conformists. and we owe them our gay-@ss lives.
charmin88
Congratulations NYC!!!^_^!
Saint Law
@TransParency_: You need to get a sex life.
Mark Loeffler
The Queen Bees were stinging mad!
Joseph Anthony AllenPalumbo
as well as it should
Giancarlo85
@Prinny: Bla bla bla prinny bla bla bla prinny… go away troll!
Prinny
@Giancarlo85: You so sweet ;D
Louis
Wonderful to hear these brave souls set the standards for those of us who were so little back at that time .
To all of them gay lesbian transgender ty from the bottom of my heart for your courage for your heroism and for your passion they fought back that night and set the equality movement into action for the rest of us who would be the future generation.
I hope those who are mocking them and their absolute courage and strength realize how petty and childish you look .
You could only dream to have the kind of courage that these people had and have as human beings.
Smh.
jason smeds
Stonewall was NOT at the forefront of gay liberation. It was the Chicago queens who were at the forefront, and certainly not the New Yorkers at Stonewall.
Timothy Warner
Landmark Status, Hello America.
John D. Plume
@TransParency_:
There is no evidence of any transsexual person took part in the Stonewall Riot.
That is mere fabrication.
SeeingAll
@jason smeds: I’ve heard it was (varied incidents) in L.A ; San Francisco ; and before that Berlin, Germany in the 1920s. I guess it’s all up for debate. Maybe the Stonewall took off in the mind because it has the cooler name (no kidding).