STATE SENATOR BRAD HOYLMAN APPLAUDS PRESIDENT OBAMA’S HISTORIC DESIGNATION OF STONEWALL NATIONAL MONUMENT
June 25, 2016
NEW YORK – – Statement by State Senator Brad Hoylman on President Obama’s designation of a new national monument commemorating the Stonewall Uprising of 1969. This legislative session, Senator Hoylman passed (S.6891/A.945) with Assembly Member Deborah Glick, which was subsequently signed into law by Governor Cuomo, which made President Obama’s historic designation possible by allowing the city of New York to transfer Christopher Park to the United States government in order to create a park, monument, or for another historic or recreational purpose.
The Stonewall National Monument is the first ever monument to LGBT history in our nation, and will allow visitors and residents to honor the many brave individuals who stood up for their rights then and since. The Stonewall National Monument will preserve Christopher Park, located directly across from the Stonewall Inn, and the immediate surrounding area, where the events of the Stonewall Uprising took place in 1969.
State Senator Hoylman said: “The Stonewall Inn is a living, breathing national treasure, as we saw last week when thousands gathered outside its premises to mourn the Orlando tragedy and last year when we celebrated the Supreme Court decision upholding LGBT marriage equality. In good times and bad, Stonewall is the town square for the LGBT community and an important symbol for human rights. It’s fitting that President Obama has taken the powerful step of conferring national monument status to it.
“As a gay dad, I'm proud to have played a role by passing legislation (S.6891/A.945) in the State Senate to make the Stonewall national monument possible so my daughter's and future generations will never forget the events of June 29, 1969. I'm grateful to Congressman Nadler and Senators Gillibrand and Schumer for spearheading this effort, along with the National Parks Service, as well as Gov. Cuomo and Assembly Member Glick for providing critical state support and Mayor de Blasio, Council Member Johnson and Community Board 2 for their local support.”