Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10) applauded Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Tim Gill, founder of the Gill Foundation, for creating the first-ever study by the National Park Service to identify historical sites and events integral to the civil rights struggle of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans.

“While there is still much, much more to do in the fight for LGBT rights, we must preserve and honor the sacrifices and history surrounding the struggle for LGBT equality for the generations to come. In recognition of the hard-fought journey of America’s LGBT community and its allies, including the many who still bear the scars of this battle and the many who gave their lives – this study will help ensure that this important part of our nation’s history will never be forgotten,” said Rep. Nadler. “The Stonewall Inn, the site of the 1969 rebellion that became the iconic flashpoint of the LGBT civil rights movement, is currently the only LGBT-related National Historic Landmark. I hope that this study will find many more sites worthy of this designation. I would like to thank Secretary Jewell and Tim Gill, who is covering the associated costs, for their diligent efforts make this study possible. I will continue to fight to make sure that the history of the LGBT community gets the recognition it deserves – even as that history is still being written.”

The National Park Service study will help identify potential new National Historic Landmarks and properties that may be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, as well as potential new units of the National Park System. This study will help provide the historic context so that the national significance may be evaluated for properties that are related to this specific area of American history.

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