Just after the Orlando massacre shook our sense of safety and security in LGBTQ bars, the designation of the Stonewall National Monument shows that we will not be cowed.
President Obama today declared the historic site of the Stonewall Uprising in New York City a national monument—“the first official National Park Service unit dedicated to telling the story of LGBT Americans.” The 7.7 acres it encompasses will include Christopher Park, a historic community park; the Stonewall Inn; and the surrounding streets and sidewalks that were the site of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising.
The monument has been in the works for a while. In May 2014, the Department of the Interior announced an LGBT theme study and has since designated a number of LGBT sites as National Historic Landmarks or listed them on the National Register of Historic Places:
- Dr. Franklin E. Kameny Residence in Washington, DC (November 2, 2011)
- James Merrill House in Stonington, CT (August 28, 2013)
- Carrington House in Fire Island Pines, NY (January 8, 2014)
- Cherry Grove Community House & Theater in Cherry Grove, NY (June 4, 2014)
- Bayard Rustin Residence in New York, NY (March 8, 2016)
- Julius’ Bar in New York NY (April 20, 2016)
- The Furies Collective house in Washington, DC (May 5, 2016)
- Edificio Comunidad de Orgullo Gay de Puerto Rico (commonly known as Casa Orguillo, or Pride House) in San Juan, Puerto Rico (May 5, 2016)
- Henry Gerber House in Chicago, IL (June 9, 2015)
Stonewall is the first to be given national monument status, however. This makes me happy for any number of reasons. I have long advocated for a deeper understanding of the history of LGBTQ parents and LGBTQ history in general. I’m thrilled there are more resources for children to teach them about our history as well—and now there are sites to see when we go on family vacations.
Although the designation was expected, it seems laden with extra meaning, coming as it does so soon after Orlando. We know the importance of LGBTQ gathering places, and we will raise them up, not run from them. They empower. They start movements. Let us look to our history even as we move into the future.