Stonewall Inn becomes a New York landmark
The iconic bar at the centre of the Stonewall Riots has been given special protected status.
Widely regarded to be the birthplace of the LGBT rights movement, the Stonewall Inn has been formally voted for landmark status by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.
The historic Greenwich Village venue has been threatened with closure in recent years, and it is hoped that the listing will help protect it.
Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society of Historic Preservation: “Recognizing and protecting the tremendous historic significance of the Stonewall Inn is incredibly important, long overdue and more than worth the struggle it took to achieve.
“This site is internationally recognized for its connection to the birth of the modern LGBT rights movement, and to the fight for equality, fairness, and a more just society.
“In 2012, President Obama, in his inaugural address, mentioned Stonewall specifically, linked it to Selma, Seneca Falls.”
Selma, Albama, is historically linked to the African-American civil rights struggle.
New York City Public Advocate Letitia James said: “To me, the Stonewall Inn represents what Selma represents to the civil rights movement and what Seneca Falls represents to the women’s rights movement.
“It must be protected from rapacious developers who would destroy the history and what this place represents.”
In the UK, activists and businesspeople are fighting over the future of the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, the oldest gay bar in London.
