Stonewall to Be First National Monument Dedicated to LGBTQ Rights

On Friday, President Barack Obama designated the historic Stonewall Inn and part of the surrounding area as the first national monument dedicated to the LGBTQ rights movement. The Stonewall Inn, located in New York City's Greenwich Village, became famous after members of the LGBTQ community rioted in the streets over anti-gay police harassment in the 1960s. 

"This week, I'm designating the Stonewall National Monument as the newest addition to the America's National Park System," Obama said in the announcement. "Stonewall will be our first national monument to tell the story of the struggle for LGBT rights."

Also included in the monument area are Christopher Park, just across the street from the Stonewall Inn, and several surrounding streets and sidewalks that were part of the 1969 uprising. In total, 7.7 acres of land now make up the monument. 

The announcement comes over a week after the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. 

June 24, 2016, 2:58 p.m.: This story has been updated.