6 L.G.B.T historic sites landmarked
BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELLDOMENECH
The city’s Landmarks Preservation
Commission designated six
L.G.B.T. historic sites as individual
landmarks on Tues., June 18.
The sites include the Caffe Cino, at
31 Cornelia St., which served as a venue
for new and unknown playwrights,
most of whom were gay men, to share
their work during a time when portraying
homosexuality in theatrical productions
was a criminal offense; the Gay
Activists Alliance Firehouse, at 99
Wooster St., which has been referred to
as New York City’s “fi rst gay community
center”; the Women’s Liberation
Center, at 243 W. 20th St., an advocacy
space for women in the L.G.B.T. civilrights
movement and lesbians within the
feminist movement; the Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual & Transgender Community
Center, at 208 W. 13th St.; the James
Baldwin Residence, at 137 W. 71st St.;
and the Audre Lorde Residence, at 207
St. Paul’s Ave., Staten Island.
“We wanted to recognize sites that
were building off of that recognition
of the Stonewall Inn, that really were
places of activism, of community support,
that were involved with moving
forward the civil-rights movement for
John Gilman, left, as Christopher — the upstairs neighbor who just
moved in with his boyfriend, Joe — with Robert Frink, right, as Sam
the hippie, in Robert Heide’s play “Moon” at the Caffe Cino in 1968.
L.G.B.T. people,” said Kate Lemos
McHale, L.P.C. director of research.
In 2014, Village Preservation proposed
the L.G.B.T Community Center
and the Gay Activists Alliance Firehouse
for landmarking along with the
Stonewall Inn, at 53 Christopher St.,
and Julius’ bar, at 159 W. 10th St. A year
COURTESY ROBERT HEIDE
later, L.P.C. landmarked the Stonewall
Inn — which, until this past Tuesday,
remained New York City’s only offi cial
L.G.B.T. landmark.
“We are deeply gratifi ed that after
a fi ve-year campaign the Landmarks
Preservation Commission has landmarked
these incredibly important
sites, which tell such a critical part of
New York and our nation’s history over
the last half-century,” said Andrew
Berman, executive director of Village
Preservation. The preservation group
will continue to fi ght for the landmarking
of more L.G.B.T historic sites, including
Julius’ bar.
When asked about the status of Julius’,
McHale cited issues of “historic
fabric” — or materials from a historically
signifi cant period — as the reason
why the building housing New York’s
oldest gay bar has yet to be designated.
And yet the U.S. Department of Interior
and the New York State Historic
Preservation Offi ce have placed the
building on the State and National Registers
of Historic Places.
“Julius’ needs more study, in terms
of that, because of the integrity issues,”
McHale said. “The whole building has
been reconstructed.”
Indeed, the 192-year-old building
was completely renovated in 1982.
However, the structure was largely reconstructed
in exactly the same style as
it was before the bar temporarily closed
its doors. According to Berman, since
the building is in the Greenwich Village
Historic District, its renovations,
in fact, were completed under the approval
and guidance of L.P.C.
Online tribute brings Stonewall alive, virtually
BY GABE HERMAN
An online interactive tribute to
the Stonewall Riots launched
earlier this month, in time for
the 50th anniversary of the historic
event.
Called “Stonewall Forever: A Living
Monument to 50 Years of Pride,” it can
be found at stonewallforever.org.
The online tribute was created by
a collaboration between the L.G.B.T.
Community Center, which was founded
in the Village in 1983, and the National
Parks Service. A $1.5 million grant for
the initiative was provided by google.
org, Google’s philanthropic wing.
An introductory voice greets visitors
to the Web site.
“Fifty years ago,” viewers are told,
“in a tiny bar called the Stonewall Inn,
L.G.B.T.Q. people fought back against
years of oppression. Today the legacy of
the Stonewall Riots lives on around the
world, in every Pride march and in every
member of the L.G.B.T.Q. community.
This monument lives so we all can
explore this crucial history and add our
own piece to the ever-growing story.”
The site allows anyone to contribute
to the online monument by submitting
a statement — such as personal stories
or words of encouragement — and a
photo. People from around the world,
The L.G.B.T. Community Center is one of the groups behind the online
monument.
from Taiwan to Brussels, have already
contributed to the site.
Cynthia Nixon posted something, as
well.
“I was 3 when the Stonewall Uprising
occurred in my own city — the
most seminal, victorious moment in
L.G.B.T. history,” she wrote. “We have
far to go but seeing how far we’ve come
in my lifetime I am so grateful.”
The Web site also includes a 21-
minute video, “Stonewall Forever — A
Documentary about the Past, Present
COURTESY LGBTCENTERNYC/INSTAGRAM
and Future of Pride.”
“Creating ‘Stonewall Forever’ with
support from Google presented the rare
opportunity to broaden the story of the
Stonewall Riots and provide a richer,
more diverse narrative about one of
the most infl uential events in the fi ght
for L.G.B.T.Q. equality,” Glennda Testone,
executive director of the L.G.B.T.
Community Center, said of the online
monument. “We were proud to serve as
the conduit to the community to bring
a wide variety of voices to the narrative,
particularly from people of color,
young people and the trans community,
and are honored to be part of preserving
L.G.B.T.Q. history.”
The online monument includes a virtual
look inside Christopher Park, right
across from the Stonewall Inn, with
graphics that look like bright rainbow
confetti rising to the sky. Some pieces
are glowing and can be clicked on to
access different sections of the monument.
Each of the monument’s sections is
on a different era or topic, and includes
historical photos and testimonials from
people who lived through the times.
The fi rst section is “Life Before
Stonewall.” The second, “The Stonewall
Riots,” features spotlights on the
late trans activists Sylvia Rivera and
Marsha P. Johnson. The de Blasio administration
plans to honor the pioneering
pair with statues, possibly two
blocks east of Stonewall at the Ruth
Wittenberg Triangle, at the intersection
of Greenwich and Sixth Aves. and
Christopher St.
Other sections include “The First
Year of Pride,” “50 years of Pride,” “Activism
Then and Now,” and “Love and
Solidarity.”
The site also has a free app, offering
an augmented-reality experience for
visitors to the actual Christopher Park.
8 June 27 - July 10, 2019 DEX Schneps Media
/stonewallforever.org