History
Amidst the historic backdrop of Greenwich Village, the iconic Stonewall Inn occupied two adjoining storefronts at 51 and 53 Christopher Street and stood as a beacon of resilience on June 28, 1969, when the Stonewall Rebellion took place. Forever changing the course of the LGBTQIA+ movement, the events that transpired on this day became one of the most pivotal moments in the fight for full equality before closing its doors. In the years that followed, the physical space underwent transformations with the current bar at 53 Christopher Street reopening its doors in 1990. Meanwhile, 51 Christopher Street housed a number of different businesses.
A few years after President Obama designated a national monument at the site of Stonewall Rebellion in 2016, Pride Live secured the lease to the long-empty 51 Christopher Street storefront and reimagined and transformed the 2,100 square foot space into the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center (SNMVC), the first LGBTQIA+ visitor center within the National Park System. This historic project began six years ago and has been led by two Queer women of color: Pride Live Co-Founders Diana Rodriguez and Ann Marie Gothard, who embarked on a mission to celebrate and preserve the legacy of Stonewall.
More about the Stonewall National Monument
Mission Statement
The mission of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center (SNMVC) is to memorialize the legacy of the Stonewall Rebellion while serving as a beacon for generations to come and visit the very site where history was made and the fight for full LGBTQ+ equality began.
