Obama Designates Stonewall As First National Monument for LGBT People

On Friday, President Obama designated the Stonewall Inn, in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, as the first National Monument to commemorate the struggles of LGBT Americans.

The official designation comes near the end of New York City's LGBT Pride Week, and just days before June 26, the first anniversary of the Supreme Court's ruling in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges that legalized same-sex marriage across the United States. Coincidentally, that anniversary falls just a few days before the date that marks the riots at the Stonewall Inn, June 28, which made the bar famous.

The White House released a video today to mark the occasion:

The riots took place in 1969, when police harassment of LGBT people was commonplace. Local ordinances targeted gender non-conforming people, and gay bars, restaurants, and clubs were frequently subject to police raids in which LGBT people would be arrested and publicly shamed.

The Stonewall Inn itself in fact had ties to the Mafia, which usually managed to keep police at bay by using its ties to law enforcement to become apprised of any planned raids. But the Mafia wasn't particularly kind to the bar's clientele and would frequently blackmail its more wealthy patrons, who were often in the closet.

So when police raided the inn on June 28, 1969, the LGBT customers were angry, and they fought back. The riots that broke out that night were commemorated the following year and evolved into the annual celebrations of gay pride.

“The riots became protests, the protests became a movement. The movement ultimately became an integral part of America,” said Obama in the video.

Obama has also made LGBT history by being the first president to mention LGBT rights in an inauguration speech and by openly supporting same-sex marriage in office. He also presided over the end of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, a policy which prevented LGBT people from serving openly in the military.

Under the Antiquities Act, the president has the authority to designate new National Monuments for reasons of historic, cultural, artistic, or traditional value.. In doing so, the federal government gains the power to protect and preserve the monuments.

The Stonewall Inn will join the Statue of Liberty and Governor's Island, New York City's other National Monuments. Other sites have also been dedicated as National Monuments for their place in the history of social movements, such as Harper's Ferry and the birthplace of Booker T. Washinton.

Read More>> LGBT Pride: How a Struggle Became a Celebration

Though the dedication has been planned for a while, it also comes on the heels of the attack on the gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando this month.

"As seen two weeks ago in Orlando, FL, LGBT Americans continue to face acts of violence, discrimination, and hate. LGBT people of color are especially at risk," said a statement from the White House. "The Administration is committed to continuing the fight for dignity, acceptance and equal rights for all Americans — no matter who they are or who they love.”

Read more about the new monument at the National Park Service's site:

Photo Credit: Another Believer via Wikimedia Commons