West Village in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Gay Liberation Monument
The Stonewall Inn at 51-53 Christopher Street was built as two stables during the 1840s. In 1930 these were combined into one building that housed Bonnie's Stone Wall teahouse, and later the Stonewall Inn Restaurant. In 1967 the establishment was converted to an unlicensed private club also called the Stonewall Inn - a bar and dance hall which catered to the vibrant gay community of Greenwich Village.
In the early hours of June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn and a fight broke out in which 13 people were arrested. The patrons and a growing crowd refused to disperse and clashed with police reinforcements. Word of the raid and uprising spread, and the next day hundreds gathered to protest the crackdown and advocate for the legalization of gay bars. Further protests erupted in early July, and on July 27 a group of activists organized the first gay and lesbian march from Washington Square to the Stonewall. The events of that summer are often cited as the beginning of the gay rights movement in the United States.
In 1979, arts patron Peter Putnam (1927–1987) commissioned the Gay Liberation Monument. Segal, though not the first artist approached, accepted the commission, which stipulated only that the work “had to be loving and caring, and show the affection that is the hallmark of gay people . . . and it had to have equal representation of men and women.”
Segal was one of the most important and influential American artists in the late 20th century. Born and raised in New York City, he settled in 1940 on a farm in South Brunswick, New Jersey where he lived and worked until his death. His work is in more than 65 public collections. Some of his better known pieces are The Commuters (1982) in New York’s Port Authority Bus Terminal, The Holocaust (1984) in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, and his tableaux for the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, DC. (1995).
Segal's composition for Gay Liberation consists of two standing males and two seated females positioned on the northern boundary of the park, in naturalistic poses. Using a process typical of his work, Segal made bronze casts from plaster molds of human models, and included metal replicas of standard park benches. The effect is realistic yet enigmatic, as he tempered the cast surfaces with an unearthly white painted finish.
The project was approved by the City in 1982, but the installation was delayed a decade because of public opposition, a planned park renovation, and the death of a sponsor. On June 23rd, Mayor David Dinkins and Parks Commissioner Betsy Gottbaum dedicated the monument.
In the intervening decade the opposition and rancor which had greeted the project had subsided. The AIDS epidemic, which had devastated the gay community, added to the impact of its mute figures. In March 2000, for their role in the gay rights movement, the Stonewall Inn and Christopher Park were designated a National Historic Landmark, and Segal’s sculpture has become a popular pilgrimage site.
Erected by New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.
Topics. This historical marker and monument is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Civil Rights. A significant historical date for this entry is June 28, 1969.
Location. 40° 44.017′ N, 74° 0.14′ W. Marker is in Manhattan, New York, in New York County. It is in West Village. Marker is at the intersection of Christopher Street and Seventh Avenue South on Christopher Street. The marker is found within Christopher Park, which is now part of the Stonewall National Memorial. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 53 Christopher Street, New York NY 10014, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Stonewall Forever (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named Stonewall Forever (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named Stonewall Forever (here, next to this marker); General Philip Henry Sheridan (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Stonewall Forever (a few steps from this marker); The Stonewall Inn (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Stonewall Inn (within shouting distance of this marker); Alex Haley (1921-1992) (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manhattan.
More about this monument. Note that this marker replaces an earlier NYC Dept. of Parks & Recreation marker for this monument that was located about 10 feet further east, attached to the fence.
Also see . . .
1. The Making of George Segal’s Gay Liberation. The Gay and Lesbian Review (July 1, 2009) (Submitted on October 14, 2016.)
2. It's My Park: Gay Pride Monument. Youtube video (4.5 mins.) (Submitted on October 14, 2016.)
3. Gay Liberation (NYC Parks). NYC Parks' history of the monument, with wording that was clearly the basis for the current marker (albeit with numerous, mostly minor, changes), and was also likely to have been the wording for the previous version of the monument's marker, now no longer present. (Submitted on October 14, 2016.)
Additional keywords. LGBT LGBTQ
Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 14, 2016, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 591 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 14, 2016, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. 4. submitted on August 15, 2019, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 5. submitted on October 14, 2016, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. 6. submitted on August 15, 2019, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.