1. The Stonewall Inn

The Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village is known as the birthplace of the gay liberation movement.

The Stonewall Inn, located in Greenwich Village, was the largest gay establishment in the United States when it opened its doors in 1967. This bar was often subjected to routine police raids. On June 28, 1969, one such raid, orchestrated by undercover police officers, took longer than usual and resulted in a large crowd forming outside the tavern. As police struggled with a handcuffed female patron, the crowd grew violent.

Riots continued for several days following and saw confrontation between Greenwich Village residents and police. These riots and their subsequent media coverage sparked action to fight the oppression of the gay community by police, and The Stonewall Inn is thus known as the birthplace of the gay liberation movement. In 2015, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the Stonewall Inn as a city landmark, and in 2016, President Obama declared it and the surrounding area The Stone National Monument, the first national park dedicated to the gay rights movement.