The national monument for the historic Stonewall Inn will open a visitor center next year
Rainbow flags and sculptures are seen at the Stonewall National Monument in New York City.
(CNN)A visitor center will open next to the iconic Stonewall Inn to honor and preserve the history of the fight for LGBTQ rights, the nonprofit Pride Live announced on Tuesday.
The nearly 3,700 square feet center in New York City is expected to open in the summer of 2024 after a groundbreaking ceremony is held on Friday, according to Pride Live, the LGBTQ advocacy group that will co-manage it with the National Parks Service.
"The opening of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center is a remarkable moment in the history of Stonewall," said Ann Marie Gothard, board president of Pride Live. "We honor all those who came before us, most especially the queer people fighting for equality at the Stonewall Rebellion."
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I think this is great news for New York City, right where gay rights began back in the summer of 1969. I’ve said this before, but I was totally unaware of the Stonewall Riot when it happened in 1969. I had finished my
Freshmen year in college and was home for the summer, but I’d never been to a gay bar and didn’t even know it was illegal. I vaguely remember hearing on the news about it but did pay much attention to it all. I knew I was homosexual and liked to fool around with guys but gay rights was the last thing on my mind.
Even the New York Daily News which today is a tabloid of the progressive side of things covered the event derisively with the headline, “Homo Nest Raided, Queen Bees Stinging Mad”.
Years later, the current editorial board vehemently apologized. But we’ve come a long way since 1969, and I think it is great that there will be a permanent monument and a visitor center right there.
