JUNE 24, 2016 AT 12:00 PM ET BY SIMONE LEIRO
Today, President Obama designated a new national monument at the historic site of the Stonewall Uprising in New York City to honor the broad LGBT equality movement.
The new ‘Stonewall National Monument’ will protect the area where, on June 28, 1969, a community’s uprising in response to a police raid sparked the modern LGBT civil rights movement in the United States.
Check out the video to learn more about the Stonewall Uprising and how it sparked a movement for LGBT equality:
“I’m designating the Stonewall National Monument as the newest addition to America’s National Park System. Stonewall will be our first national monument to tell the story of the struggle for LGBT rights. I believe our national parks should reflect the full story of our country, the richness and diversity and uniquely American spirit that has always defined us. That we are stronger together. That out of many, we are one.”
President Obama
In addition to protecting more land and water than any President in history — more than 265 million acres — President Obama has sought to protect places that are diverse, culturally and historically significant, and that reflect the story of all Americans.
Earlier this year, President Obama designated the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument, a site that has been central to the fight for women’s equality for over a century.
By honoring the history and accomplishments of the movement for LGBT equality, today’s designation will be a historic moment in this effort towards a more inclusive National Park System.
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