On Friday June 28th the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center (SNMVC) will officially open its doors marking the 55th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion that took place on June 28th 1969. This is the first LGBTQ visitor center within the National Park Service a bureau of the Department of the Interior. Designated by President Barack Obama on June 24, 2016 the Stonewall National Monument includes the 0.19-acre formerly known as Christopher Park & the surrounding streets including Christopher Street adjacent to the park. The Stonewall National Monument is the first U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBTQ rights & history. The historic project began 6 years ago by two Lesbian women of color & Pride Live Co-Founders Diana Rodriguez & Ann Marie Gothard who embarked on a mission to celebrate & preserve the legacy of Stonewall. Ann Marie Gothard stated, “The journey to create the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center has been a truly remarkable & landmark moment. With the opening of the Visitor Center, we pay homage to the brave individuals behind the historic Stonewall Rebellion. We hope it stands as an enduring and resilient symbol & serves as a beacon for generations to come, providing the unique opportunity to step foot on the site where history unfolded & where the fight for LGBTQIA+ equality was ignited.” In the park in front of the center are 4 statues by George Segal of 2 gay men & on the bench 2 women who were lesbian icons in NYC shortly after Stonewall. Beth Suskin (on the right) is still with us but unfortunately we loss her wife Leslie Cohen (holding the flag) in 2022. Listen to this historic conversation I had with my friend & mentor Leslie Cohen in 2019 celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.
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