Press Release

For Immediate Release: June 16, 2022
Contact: lpcpressoffice@lpc.nyc.gov, 212-669-7938

LPC Celebrates LGBTQ+ Landmarks with Story Map

In honor of Pride Month, LPC created this interactive tool to highlight individual landmarks designated for their association with people and organizations that made significant contributions to the LGBTQ+ cultural and civil rights movements.

New York –In honor of Pride Month, today, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), announced the launch of Pride: Celebrating LGBTQ+ Landmarks, an interactive story map highlighting individual landmarks designated for their association with people and organizations that made significant contributions to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) cultural and civil rights movements. Through narrative text, photos, maps, and multimedia content, the public can learn more about the important history behind these landmarks.

"LGBTQ+ history is New York City's history, and we cannot truly appreciate where we are if we don't know where we've been," said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. "These landmarks are meaningful sites in our collective story. As we celebrate Pride Month, I am excited that this new, interactive resource will allow all New Yorkers to recognize the LGBTQ+ community's tremendous contributions to our city."

 "New York City's diversity is its greatest strength, and in recent years LPC has been working to identify and designate sites that reflect the City's rich history, including its LGBTQ+ history, so that we are telling the full story of all New Yorkers," said Landmarks Preservation Commission Chair Sarah Carroll. "The designated landmarks highlighted in this story map underscore New York City's significant role in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, and I hope it brings greater awareness to this important history. As the Commission continues to recognize and designate sites that reflect the city's LGBTQ+ history, they will be added to this story map."

"New York City has an especially rich and important history in the fight for LGTBQ+ rights," said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. "I'm proud to see these stories brought to light in even more ways in LPC's interactive tools to increase awareness and education of such a significant piece of our city's history."

New York City is a significant center of LGBTQ+ history and culture. From the pivotal moment of the Stonewall Rebellion to the dedicated work of activists and organizations to promote awareness and fair treatment of—and provide services for—the LGBTQ+ community, New Yorkers have played important roles in moving the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement forward. While many sites across the city have important ties to LGBTQ+ individuals and groups, including within the city's designated historic districts, this story map focuses on individual landmarks designated primarily for their LGBTQ+ significance.

LPC's interactive story map, which is available online, features places like the Stonewall Inn, one of the most important sites associated with LGBTQ+ history in New York City and the nation, places associated with important groups who fought for equality and provided support like the Gay Activists Alliance Firehouse, the Women's Liberation Center and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, and the residences of two of the nation's most important African-American writers and civil rights activists – James Baldwin and Audre Lorde – whose literary work presented honest depictions of bisexual and same-sex relationships. Each landmark is illustrated with current and historic photographs, a summary of significance, and a link to the designation report. Users can simply scroll down to learn more about each landmark.

About the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC)

The Landmarks Preservation Commission is the mayoral agency responsible for protecting and preserving New York City's architecturally, historically and culturally significant buildings and sites. Since its creation in 1965, LPC has granted landmark status to more than 37,000 buildings and sites, including 1,445 individual landmarks, 121 interior landmarks, 11 scenic landmarks, and 152 historic districts and extensions in all five boroughs. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/landmarks and connect with us via www.facebook.com/NYCLandmarks and www.twitter.com/nyclandmarks.