Heinrich Welcomes Designation of First National Monument Honoring LGBT Rights

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), ranking member on the Subcommittee on National Parks, welcomed the designation of the new Stonewall National Monument in Lower Manhattan to commemorate the history of the LGBT movement. The White House announced the designation, which is the first official National Park Service unit dedicated to commemorating a significant moment in the history of LGBT Americans, just days before the one-year anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision guaranteeing marriage equality in all 50 States. The President designated the new monument using his authority under the Antiquities Act.

"The Stonewall Uprising continues to resonate in LGBT communities across our nation," said Sen. Heinrich. "The tireless advocacy in the movement that arose after Stonewall has brought us closer to the fundamental ideal that everyone is created equal and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. One year after the Supreme Court recognized the right of same sex couples to marry, and in the wake of this month's horrific tragedy at a similar LGBT nightclub in Orlando, this new monument will help us remember and learn about the full and complex history of the ongoing LGBT fight for full equality."

On June 28, 1969, riots broke out in and around the Stonewall Inn in response to anti-LGBT law enforcement practices. The Stonewall Uprising became an inspiration for the LGBT movement for equal rights. For more information about the designation of the new Stonewall National Monument and the history of the Stonewall Uprising, visit the official Stonewall National Monument website.