The Stonewall Inn has been officially recognized as a national monument in the United States. It is the first time an American site directly connected to the fight for LGBT rights has ever received such a designation.

 

“[...] today we welcome Stonewall and Christopher Park into the family of Grand Canyon, of Yosemite, the Statue of Liberty, America’s most important places that will be preserved and interpreted for future generations for the inspiration of not only current generations but future generations as well,” National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis said at Stonewall.

 

“And we in the National Park Service are committed to telling this story, to working with you, to ensure that we get it right and that we carry on the legacy of those that were here and the story that they carried into the future," he added. "This story is a key component to the American experience.”

 

 

On June 28, 1969, Stonewall Inn patrons -- gays and lesbians seeking refuge from a world in which one's sexuality was not only frowned upon but, in many cases, illegal -- decided to fight back against the endless harassment by police. In fact, that very day police had come to "take over" the bar and arrest several of the customers. It was, for many, the last straw; the queer community was ready to fight back, effectively beginning the modern gay rights movement.

 

The Stonewall Inn was closed in 1969. In 1990, a bar called Stonewall opened in part of the original bar's location; it was later renovated and the original name -- Stonewall Inn -- was adopted in 2007. 

 

President Obama released the following statement:

 

 

Sadly, the designation won't stop the bigots and the haters. We have a lot to be proud of, but we also still have a long fight for true equality ahead of us.

 

Marsha P. Johnson

 

If you are looking to find out more about the riots that took place and some of the people involved, here are some suggestions.

 

Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution, by David Carter, is a book that not only provides a detailed account of the actual riot, but also explores what happened before the riots that lead up the violent clash between gays and the police. [Amazon.com]

 

Sylvia Rivera: A Tribute - a documentary about one of the trans activists from Stonewall, and her battles afterwards. [YouTube]

 

Pay It No Mind: The Life and Times of Marsha P. Johnson - another documentary, this time examining the life of one of the "mothers" of Stonewall, and the "Mayor of Christopher Street." [YouTube]

 

How We Got Gay - tells the incredible story of how gay men and women went from being the ultimate outsiders to major influencers of cultural, political and social lives. [YouTube]