The Stonewall Visitor Center will open on Friday, just ahead of the New York City Pride celebrations. Its opening marks 55 years since the Stonewall Uprising of 1969 –the three nights of rioting that helped kick-start the modern gay rights movement.
Most people assume the current Stonewall Inn is the one raided by cops on that fateful, hot summer night back in 1969. However, the real story is a little more complicated. And it helps explain the opening of this new visitor center.
The original Stonewall Inn was located at 51-53 Christopher Street. It closed down in late 1969, a few months after the riots. The original bar was then divided into two storefronts, with apartments on the second story.
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53 Christopher Street then became a bagel store, and then a Chinese restaurant. 51 Christopher Street briefly reopened as a gay bar named Stonewall in 1987. However, it closed in 1989 and its facade dismantled. It later became a men’s clothing store.
53 Christopher Street became a gay bar again in 1990. Initially, the owners called New Jimmy’s, but it reverted to the name Stonewall in 1991. That’s the Stonewall Inn most people now know and have posted for selfies in front of.
National Monument
The Stonewall Inn was made the first US national monument to LGBTQ+ rights in 2016, during the Obama administration. It includes the Stonewall Bar and the adjoining, small park.
The monument designation also covers the new Stonewall Visitor Center. This will occupy 2,100 square feet at 51 Christopher Street, next door to the current bar. It’s taking the larger room of the original Stonewall Inn (reportedly the biggest gay bar in the US back in 1969) and repurposing it as a memorial toward its place in history.
“The National Park Service eagerly anticipates the official opening of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center in partnership with Pride Live on June 28,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams in a press statement. “NPS staff are dedicated to sharing the history of the Stonewall Uprising and the ongoing struggle for LGBTQIA+ equality.
The same statement says the new Visitor Center, “will offer an immersive experience featuring a rich tapestry of LGBTQIA+ history and culture through a variety of engaging programs, including in-person and virtual tours, informative lecture series, captivating exhibitions, a dedicated theater space, and inspiring visual arts displays.”
“The SNMVC will provide an enhanced visitor experience for those seeking to learn more about the historic movement for LGBTQIA+ equality that continues to this day,” said National Park Manhattan Sites Superintendent Shirley McKinney.
Joe Biden and Elton John
In related news, the New York Post reports that President Joe Biden and Elton John will visit Stonewall this Friday (June 28).
The White House has teased that Biden will attend an “official event” in the city on Friday but did not respond to the Post’s request for a comment about visiting Stonewall.
If the Post’s story is true, the fact Elton John might visit Stonewall is not surprising. The new Visitor Center lists the legendary singer and songwriter as one of its Founding Partners, alongside the likes of Adam Lambert, Christina Aguilera, and Madonna. The Visitors Center also has several corporate supporters, including Google, Amazon, and Comcast NBCUniversal, among others.
In fact, Madonna has also indicated she’s going to be in New York this weekend… leaving us giddy at the possibiity she and Elton (who formerly held a feud for many years), might both show up on Friday at the same time.
Either way, the Stonewall Visitors Center opens on Friday and some unconfirmed special guests are likely to attend.
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