All hail diversity!
The Stonewall Inn, the West Village bar that’s become an icon for gay and lesbian freedom, became a city landmark today when the NYC Landmark Preservation Commission voted unanimously to grant the iconic spot its historic status.
It’s believed to be the first time any LGBT site in the city has been made a landmark. In 2000, the Stonewall was declared a National Historic Landmark.
The commission’s action wasn’t a surprise given the strong support behind the effort to landmark the Stonewall Inn, which was the site of a police raid and subsequent riot on June 28, 1969. A group of gays and lesbians fought back against the police that night, a move that sparked similar protests around the country.
One group that voiced its backing was the Real Estate Board of New York, which offered its endorsement during today’s hearing of the commission.
“Today, visitors from across the country and around the world come to this two-story, simple brick and smooth-stuccoed building on Christopher Street for its historical and cultural significance as the place where the LGBT Rights Movement was born,” the board statement said. “Whether for architectural, historical or cultural reasons, the appeal of a property to attract visitors from near and far is certainly one important measure of its significance in considering designation.”