Stonewall

https://www.nps.gov/ston/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonewall_National_Monument Stonewall National Monument is located in the West Village neighborhood of Greenwich Village in Lower Manhattan, New York City. The designated area includes Christopher Park and the block of Christopher Street bordering the park, which is directly across the street from the Stonewall Inn—the site of the Stonewall riots of June 28, 1969, widely regarded as the start of the modern LGBT rights movement in the United States. Stonewall National Monument is the first U.S. National Monument dedicated to LGBT rights and history. Before the 1960s, almost everything about living openly as a lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB) person was illegal. The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969 is a milestone in the quest for LGB civil rights and provided momentum for a movement. Christopher Park is bounded by Christopher, Grove, and West Fourth Streets. By subway, take the Broadway 1 Line - 7th Avenue local to Christopher Street-Sheridan Square Station; or via the 7th Avenue bus line on the M8 or M20. From Jersey City, take the Holland Tunnel to Ericsson Pl, via exit 3, then take the Avenue of the Americas north to Christopher Street. From Brooklyn take the Manhattan Bridge to Canal Street, then take the Avenue of the Americas north to Christopher Street. Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center The Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center contains interactive exhibits about the Stonewall uprising and LGBTQ+ civil rights movement, as well as informational videos and space for reflection. By subway, take the Broadway 1 Line - 7th Avenue local to Christopher Street-Sheridan Square Station; or via the 7th Avenue bus line on the M8 or M20. You can also take the A, B, C or D to the W 4 St-Wash Sq station and walk about 8 minutes. Tulips in Christopher Park Pink and purple tulips in bloom with the Pride flag waving above a statue in the background. Tulips in Christopher Park Caffe Cino: Birthplace of Off-Off Broadway During its ten years, the coffeehouse changed the language of drama as a pioneer of “Off-Off Broadway,” where truly underground content could be explored. The business certainly did not make a lot of money. Cino worked other jobs to make ends meet and to pay off public officials, since he did not have a license as a theatre. Many plays contained gay content, but Caffe Cino’s embrace of bohemian and hippie life defied any single sexual identity or category. Plaque at Caffe Cino showing Joe behind the counter. NPS Photo by John Warren Gay Activist Alliance Firehouse: A "School for Democracy" Within weeks of the Stonewall Rebellion, activists formed the Gay Liberation Front (GLF). However, GLF members quickly divided over strategy. Some wanted to form alliances with other radical groups like the Black Panthers. Others wanted to focus exclusively on gay issues. The latter formed a group of their own, the Gay Activist Alliance, described as a "school for democracy." They set up shop in a former firehouse in Manhattan. June: A Month of Milestones The times are a changin’, and there’s no better time to honor those moments of change than in June. Over the course of America’s history, the month of June is filled with cultural changes, and some seasonal ones too. So just before the season changes and summer begins, take some time to visit these parks that commemorate extraordinary moments. Painting of suffragist on a horse LGBTQ Activism: The Stonewall Inn, New York City, NY Probably the most well-known event in the struggle for LGBTQ rights, the 1969 uprising at the Stonewall Inn in New York City brought the issue of queer rights into the spotlight. It helped to build solidarity among queer groups that were ready to take a stand against police harassment and violence. Stonewall Inn, New York. Photo by Daniel Case CC BY SA 3.0 Washington Square: New York City Haven for Bohemians and Activists Washington Square has been known for decades as a place for bohemians, jazz and folk musicians, protesters, poets and people in love. It is also where the first gay and lesbian protest occurred in New York City after the Stonewall Uprising of 1969. Photo of Washington Square, New York by John Warren, NPS Photo The Lion's Head: "Drinkers with Writing Problems" Two doors down from the Stonewall Inn was one of the better-known bars and restaurants in New York City literary history. The walls of the Lion’s Head were covered with jacket covers of books by the writers who drank there—“drinkers with writing problems,” as its customers liked to say. For a writer, getting a space on the wall was like winning the Nobel Prize. It was also where one patron joined the rebellion two doors down at the Stonewall. Sign for Sheridan Park on a fence around a city garden The "Sip-In" at Julius' Bar in 1966 Unlike the Stonewall Inn, Julius’ Bar--just around the block from the Stonewall in Greenwich Village--had a liquor license. In fact, Julius' has been open at 159 West 10th Street and Waverly Place since the 1860s, although not always as a gay or gay-friendly bar. In fact, drinking while gay in the early 1960s was considered illegal. A three-story yellow building on a corner of the street Christopher Park: In 1969, a Refuge for LGB Street Youth During the first night of the rebellion at least, a small city park across the street from the Stonewall Inn provided refuge for street youths. Christopher Park was their refuge during the day as well from a hard life on the streets. The entrance to Christopher Park, now part of Stonewall National Monument Stonewall National Monument: Rising for Equality Stonewall National Monument commemorates an important site and historic event in the the movement for LGBTQ rights. The Stonewall Inn was popular with the African American and Latinx LGBTQ community, and the crowd that gathered to demonstrate in the early hours of June 28, 1969 included many people of color. Today the site is recognized for its connection to LGBTQ history, African American history, and the history of civil rights for all in America. Street activity in front of the Stonewall Inn in New York City, 2016 Series: Finding Our Place: LGB Heritage in the United States In many ways, the histories of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) Americans have been obscured and erased. The threat of physical harm and persecution led many to live a closeted lifestyle. Historical references to LGB contributions to American heritage are rare and in many examples, the prejudiced attitudes of the author are obvious. In recent years, scholars have focused on uncovering the history of LGB communities and expanding our understanding of American history The rainbow Pride flag Series: Pride Through the Decades Are you interested in taking a deeper dive into how LGBTQ+ pride took shape? Check out this series beginning in the 1950's and going on into the modern period. People marching in the first Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day, became the modern pride marches. Pride in the 2010's This is about LGBTQ+ pride during the 2000's. Pride in the 1990's This is about pride across the world in the 1990's. Pride in the 1960's This is about the 1960's in the series, "Pride Through the Decades." Pride in the 1980's This page is about LGBTQ+ pride events during the 1980's. Pride in the 1950's In the series Pride through the Decades, this is all about pride related events in the 1950's. Manhattan Sites Junior Ranger Program Manhattan Sites Junior Ranger program that features five units of the National Park Service in the New York City area. Manhattan Sites Volunteer Program An overview of the volunteer program in Manhattan, New York City and instructions on how to apply for the program. A domed and columned white marble building with American Flag buntings out front. Stonewall National Monument Cultural Landscape The Stonewall National Monument cultural landscape includes the streets and locations of the Stonewall Uprising, which took place from June 28 and July 3, 1969. While it was not the start or end of the fight for gay rights, the events at the Stonewall Inn and the surrounding streets of Greenwich Village in New York City were a major catalyst in organizing the modern LGBTQ civil rights movement. The streets, parks, and buildings of the landscape help reflect this history. A bronze statue on a pedestal stands in a city park, surrounded by plants and an iron fence Top Tips for Visiting the Manhattan Sites Plan Like a Park Ranger: Top Tips for Visiting the Manhattan Sites Realizing the Dream: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Beyond Signed into law July 2, 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Many national parks were created to preserve and tell the story of the struggle for civil and human rights leading up to the Act and beyond as we continue to work towards realizing the dream for all people. Statue of Martin Luther King Jr. at night Executive Order 10450: Eisenhower and the Lavender Scare In 1953, the Eisenhower Administration entered office pledging to clean up the government. As seen with Executive Order 10450, this had devastating effects for thousands of innocent and faithful civil servants. Many LGBTQ Americans were persecuted and faced repercussions from this. Explore this story here. A red and blue graphic with the faces of Eisenhower and Nixon

force were often paid off in return for information about planned raids. Customers caught in a raid were routinely freed, but only after being photographed and humiliated. In the early hours of June 28,1969, people fought back. A Movement Takes Shape "There was no out, there was just in." .2 = C <u 8 ._ £ C — oi 3 C o M— — *- *- P 5" Z ro £ °" <5 *E: •* z If 11 •2° Z 3 %.% in Z On June 28, 1969, New York City police officers raided the Stonewall Inn. Following what at first appeared to be a routine raid, a crowd gathered outside to watch for friends in the bar. But as police vans came to haul away those arrested, the crowd became angry, began throwing objects, and attempted to block the way. The crowd's aggression forced police to retreat and barricade themselves inside the Stonewall Inn. Onlookers joined in and attacked the bar with pennies, metal garbage cans, bricks, bottles, an uprooted parking meter, and burning trash. The confrontation grew as the fire department and the NYPD's Tactical Patrol Force, trained for riot control, joined police reinforcements sent to the scene. Through the 1960s almost everything about living openly as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) person was a violation of law, rule, or policy. New York City's prohibitions against homosexual activities were particularly harsh. People were arrested for wearing fewer than three articles of clothing that matched their sex. Serving alcoholic beverages to homosexuals was prohibited. For married men and women who lived homosexual lives in secret, blackmail was a constant threat. Discrimination and fear were tools to isolate people when homosexuality was hidden. After Stonewall, being "out and proud" in numbers was a key strategy that strengthened the movement. Street kids, who were among the first to fight, Uprising were joined by people Stonewall was a milestone for LGBT civil rights that provided momentum for a movement. In the early hours of June 28, 1969, a police raid on the Stonewall Inn provoked a spontaneous act of resistance that earned a place alongside landmarks in American self-determination such as Seneca Falls Convention for women's rights (1848) and the Selma to Montgomery March for African American voting rights (1965). Demonstrations continued over the next several nights at Christopher Park across from the Stonewall Inn gathered outside and then by supporters flocking to c o Greenwich Village as news of the events spread. Photo: New York Daily News Liberate Christopher Street! The agitated crowd took to the streets chanting "Gay Power!" and "Liberate Christopher Street!" LGBT youth who gathered at Christopher Park—some of them homeless and with little social capital—challenged police, linked arms, and formed a blockade. Police charged the crowd, but rather than disperse, the mob retreated to the neighborhood they knew well with its network of narrow, winding streets, doubled-back, and regrouped near the Stonewall Inn and Christopher Park, surprising the police. Demonstrator Tommy Schmidt described the feeling of being in the melee: "I was part of a mob that had a kind of were repaired. Photo: Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library deep identity and was acting as one force." John O'Brien said, and in the surrounding neighborhood. When asked to "What excited me was I finally was not alone." describe the difference that Stonewall had made, journalist Social change takes different forms. Pioneers organized Eric Marcus observed that before Stonewall, "There was no and took a range of actions and approaches in the fight for out, there was just in." their equality. Stonewall was a galvanizing moment that empowered a range of advocacy; some mainstream, and People who would identify today as LGBT had few choices some non-conforming or militant, that rejected approaches for socializing in public and many bars they frequented based on assimilation. were operated by organized crime. Members of the police The Stonewall Inn, summer of 1969, after reopening and before the windows = c ( 0 CO c c oo Photo: New York Daily News Archive Photo: unknown "By the time of Stonewall...we had fifty to sixty gay groups in the country. A year later there were at least fifteen hundred. By two years later, to the extent that counts could be made, it was twenty-five hundred. And that was the impact of Stonewall." Frank Kameny. "And that was the impact of Stonewall: A Word About Words... Words trace progress of t h e LGBT m o v e m e n t . They are intensely personal and politically p o w e r f u l . In describing historic events, words used here are often t h e terms of t h e times and t h e people w h o said t h e m , even if those terms are not used today. For example, "homophile," meaning a positive attitude t o w a r d homosexuals, dissipated o v e r t i m e . "Transgender," dates only f r o m t h e mid-1980s a n d may not appear in a n historic context, although many embrace i

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