The Stonewall Inn is a small bar with a huge significance. Located on Christopher Street in the West Village, it served as a gathering place and safe haven for members of the LGBTQ community during a very homophobic time in America's history.
The Inn was also the site of the 1969 Stonewall Riots. What started as a protest against the frequent police raids turned into six days of rioting and demonstrations, and ultimately the beginning of the modern LGBTQ civil rights movement.
In recognition of the Stonewall Inn's crucial importance to our nation, and in response to the lack of LGBTQ American monuments, President Obama has designated the bar as a national monument.
This symbolic decision comes at a time when our nation is struggling to maintain its promise of equality for all, but also during a week in which NYC is celebrating its LGBTQ pride.
Maggie Jeffers
Contributing Writer
Maggie is a recent graduate of Vassar College, where she majored in English and learned that she has no tolerance for the Poughkeepsie cold. She loves all things related to food, TV, movies, and music, and enjoys playing the violin and surfing the web in her spare time.
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