Seattle City Council Unanimously Supports a National Park for Stonewall

Background: Today, the Seattle City Council passed with unanimous consent a resolution expressing the City of Seattle’s fervent support for the designation of a National Park for Stonewall, in New York City. The resolution supports the nationwide campaign to designate the first national park site to honor lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights and equality. The opportunity to create a National Park for Stonewall will be the focus of a special evening discussion that National Parks Conservation Association will host on Tuesday, April 26.

Learn more at: www.npca.org/natlparkforstonewall. Join the conversation online with #NatlParkForStonewall.

Statement by Councilmember M. Lorena González (Position 9 – Citywide)

“The struggle for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer civil rights is a crucial part of our national history, and germane to Seattle’s community culture. My role as chair of the Safe Communities committee is inspired by the work of civil rights pioneers in our city, which includes (but isn’t limited to) members of the LGBT Commission, Equal Rights Washington, the Pride Foundation, GSBA and many others who also work on issues which support safety and tolerance in Seattle.

“Our city has long been a leader on local civil rights issues with national significance. Today, Seattle invites other municipalities to follow our lead once again and express support for memorialization of the struggle for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer civil rights nationwide.”

Statement by Rob Smith, Northwest Director for National Parks Conservation Association

“National Parks Conservation Association commends the Seattle City Council for passing a resolution today in support of designating a National Park for Stonewall.”

“Some places are so strongly associated with a historical event that their name alone triggers their story. Independence Hall. Selma. Little Rock High School. Seneca Falls. Minidoka, including the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial. Stonewall is one of those places, but unlike those others, Stonewall is not yet recognized in the National Park System.”

“A National Park for Stonewall would begin to close a gap of our National Park System as the first national park site to honor LGBT equality and the long fight that many have waged for civil rights. Today, Seattle adds its voice to demonstrate support from coast to coast for this national park proposal.”

“We must continue to protect and preserve these places, urban and rural, natural and historic, that speak to and represent who we are as a nation.”

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About National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than one million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s natural, historic, and cultural heritage for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.