But it also had a popular, pulsating dance floor that attracted a diverse, largely young crowd. Some gay nightspots simply operated illegally.Ī onetime horse stable in adjoining buildings at 51 and 53 Christopher Street, the Stonewall was a divey, unlicensed spot with darkened windows, black-painted walls and a doorman who scrutinized would-be patrons through a peephole. At the time, showing same-sex affection or dressing in a way deemed gender-inappropriate could get people arrested, and bars had lost liquor licenses for serving such people. In 1969, the Stonewall was part of a Greenwich Village gay scene that was known, yet not open.
'We understand we're the innkeepers of history,' says co-owner Stacy Lentz. At points, it wasn't a bar at all.īut as the rebellion's anniversary approaches Friday, the Stonewall Inn stands in part of its original space and serves as a gathering place and beacon for LGBTQ people and others. The tavern in Manhattan's Greenwich Village has undergone physical and ownership changes over the years. It's a landmark, and the patrons flocking in this week to honor the riots' legacy include a gay police officers' group.
Today, it's still a bar, but a highly visible one.
NEW YORK (AP) - Fifty years ago, the Stonewall Inn was an underground gay bar where a police raid sparked a rebellion that fueled the modern LGBTQ rights movement.