Revealing LGBTQ+ History on Spring Street
Village Preservation has long paid tribute to the widespread impacts players in our neighborhoods of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo have had on the civil rights and social … Continued
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Tag: LGBT
Mystery Photos — 90s Drag Scene Edition
Many of the donated images in our Historic Image Archive were received with little identifying information. We often think, who are these people? Where is this location? When was this picture … Continued
The Literary Legacy of the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop
In 1967, gay rights activist Craig Rodwell had a vision for a place that would serve not only as a bookstore but also as a space for community gatherings and … Continued
2023 Village Awardee: Monster Bar, 80 Grove Street
Village Preservation is very proud to honor the Monster Bar at 80 Grove Street as a Village Awardee in 2023. Join us in recognizing them and these five other worthy awardees at … Continued
Celebrating Arthur A. Levin on this National Honor Our LGBT + Elders Day
Honor Our LGBT Elders Day is celebrated each year on May 16th. While every day is a good day to pay tribute to those who have paved the way for … Continued
January Favorites from the Archive
The Village Preservation Historic Image Archive highlights the history of the people and built environment of Greenwich Village, the East Village, NoHo, and New York City in general. All the … Continued
Tour the Cinematic Sites of our Picturesque Neighborhood
The winter months in New York practically beg us to stay in bed, curled in a blanket, watching the films that warm our hearts despite the cold just outside. Luckily, … Continued
Julys Past From Our Historic Image Archive
Our Historic Image Archive provides a snapshot of our neighborhood’s past. From summers on the piers to drag shows at the Pyramid Club and an important archeological dig, you can … Continued
June is Gay Pride; But July is Gay Liberation
Although June 1969 is in many ways burned in the public consciousness as the pivotal month for the development of the modern LGBTQIA+ Rights Movement, in many ways, the July … Continued
Walk Through LGBTQ+ History with Our Civil Rights and Social Justice Map
Every June, New Yorkers and people from around the world gather in our city to celebrate Pride Month and honor the memory of the Stonewall Riots, three nights in 1969 … Continued
LGBTQ+ Pride Through The Decades
Our Historic Image Archive includes thousands of photos documenting the people and architecture of the Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo, as well as New York City, from the … Continued
Washington Square United Methodist Church: Where Identity and Inclusion Collided
The intersection of religion and identity can be potent, or even combustible, mix. For one Greenwich Village church and its congregation, in the late 1970s they came to a head … Continued
Go West! – The Leather & Denim Scene in the Weehawken Street Historic District
The Weehawken Street Historic District (designated May 2, 2006) consists of a small area on three blocks around West, Christopher, and 10th Streets. Although primarily known for its relation to … Continued
The Documents of History: Mattachine Society of New York’s Archival Papers of 1951-1976 at the New York Public Library
As Village Preservation prepares to unveil a plaque commemorating the “Sip-In” at Julius’ Bar on April 21, 1966, one might wonder about the Mattachine Society of New York, which organized … Continued
Stormé DeLarverie: Village Guardian
A self-proclaimed “gay superhero,” Stormé Delarverie (≅ December 24, 1920 – May 24, 2014, Pronouns: she/her in public, he/him in performance) was a drag king, bouncer, and neighborhood activist who … Continued
Local Lesbian Bookstores: Founders of a Feminist Future
Historically, our neighborhoods have hosted many independent and unconventional bookstores. These small institutions have helped define the character of our neighborhoods as a literary capital of the Western world. With … Continued
Taking a Closer Look at “Fortune and Men’s Eyes”
Telling the stories of incarcerated young men in the 1960s, Fortune and Men’s Eyes was a drama written by John Herbert in 1967 to process and analyze his own experience … Continued
A Dominating Narrative: The Mineshaft and BDSM Culture in the Meatpacking District
Notice: The following text contains references to sexual materials and activities appropriate for mature audiences only. Reader discretion is advised. 835 Washington Street has had many past lives. In the … Continued
2021 Village Preservation Public Programs Round-Up
As we close the chapter on yet another wild and successful of year of public programs at Village Preservation, we wanted to take the time to reflect and highlight some … Continued
Greer Lankton: An Artist’s Life in the Village of the Dolls
Greer Lankton (she/her, April 21, 1958 – November 18, 1996) was an East Village-based multidisciplinary artist who worked in illustration, photography, and sculpture. She’s mostly known for creating lifelike paper-mache … Continued
Terrance McNally Offers Wonderful Window Into The Rich History #SouthOfUnionSquare
The trailblazing playwright and author Terrance McNally lived for decades with his husband Tom Kirdahy at 29 East 9th Street in the area of Greenwich Village South of Union Square … Continued
Visual AIDS Day Without Art
Day Without Art was Visual AIDS’ first major event. It launched on December 1, 1989 as “a day of action and mourning.” Thousands of arts institutions and organizations around the world organized to illustrate the true loss of art and artists created by AIDS epidemic, and demonstrate the power of art to raise awareness of the ongoing AIDS pandemic.
Candy Darling: A Superstar in Her Own Right
Candy Darling (She/Her, November 24, 1944 — March 21, 1974) was a transgender icon and muse for well-known artists and musicians like Andy Warhol and The Velvet Underground. Darling was … Continued
Sylvia Rivera: A Controversial But Powerful and Enduring Activist for LGBTQ+ Rights
Sylvia Rivera (July 2, 1951 – February 19, 2002, She/Her) was a trailblazing advocate for the rights of transgender individuals and LGBTQ+ communities. A vocal opponent of racism and transphobia … Continued
Welcome Aboard, Hew Evans
Today Hew Evans (pronouns: they / them) joins Village Preservation as our Administrative and Programs Assistant. Hew has been interning for us since May of this year, during which time … Continued
Cary Grant Before He Was Cary Grant, in Greenwich Village
Cary Grant: a name synonymous with Hollywood glamor in the mid-20th century. He tumbled and swanned, he looked equally incredible in a pristine tuxedo and in Katherine Hepburn’s fur-embellished silk … Continued
The Mattachine Society, and the Post-Stonewall Shift
As with any revolution, there was a spark, which lit the fire fed by years of quieter work and struggle which preceded it. Such is certainly the case with the … Continued
Downtown Drag + Performance in the 1990s — the Jillian Jonas Collection
The Village Preservation Image Archive highlights the history of the people and built environment of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo, as well as New York City in general. … Continued
New Historic Image Collection Explores Downtown Drag + Performance Scene of the 1990s
As we approach LGBTQ+ Pride Weekend, Village Preservation is proud to share with you a wonderful new collection in our historic image archive of donated images from Jillian Jonas chronicling the fiery … Continued
Jackie Curtis: East Village Superstar, “Pioneer without a Frontier”
“I am not a boy, not a girl, I am not gay, not straight, I am not a drag queen, not a transsexual – I am just me, Jackie.” This … Continued
Remembering the HIV/AIDS Crisis
We’re in the midst of battling a global pandemic, with a federal government which often seems disinterested at best in addressing the situation and unwilling to take the steps necessary … Continued
Legendary LGBTQ Nightlife of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo
LGBT nightlife in New York has changed drastically throughout the years, with an exodus of sorts to Brooklyn. There have been a multitude of reasons suggested for the decline, including … Continued
African American, Feminist, & LGBTQ Solidarity at the Women’s House of Detention
The Women’s House of Detention, an eleven-story prison in the center of Greenwich Village, closed on June 13th, 1971.
LGBT Historic Sites in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo
June is Pride Month, which makes it an especially exciting time to be in the Village. LGBT history is closely tied with our neighborhood and their culture, and throughout the … Continued
Village Pride & LGBT Establishments
June is Pride Month, a time when LGBT communities come together and celebrate the freedom to be themselves. The Stonewall uprising in June 1969 is the original inspiration behind the annual June festivities. … Continued
Cherry Lane Theatre: More Than Just An Off-Broadway Theater
The Cherry Lane Theatre is the oldest continuously operating off-Broadway theater in New York City. Almost as interesting and drama-filled as the incredible plays produced here is rich and varied … Continued
Rita Mae Brown and Her “Rubyfruit Jungle”
Rita Mae Brown, New York University alumnus & former Greenwich Village resident, has achieved great success in the fields of LGBTQ activism and writing. Her most popular work, “Rubyfruit Jungle,” … Continued
Our Epic Greenwich Village and East Village Watch-List
It’s time to dive into our beloved neighborhoods of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo as they’re seen through the movie camera lens. Presented in no apparent order, this … Continued
Beauford Delaney: Harlem Renaissance & Abstract Painter
Harlem Renaissance painter Beauford Delaney was known for his colorful modernist compositions and unique approach to figuration. One of the most important African-American artists of the early 20th century, he … Continued
The Fight to Recognize LGBT Civil Rights History in Our Neighborhoods
On January 16th, 2013, Village Preservation sent a letter to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) requesting that it landmark key sites of significance to lesbian, gay, bisexual, … Continued
Penny Arcade’s Village Preservation Oral History – Chronicles of the Queen of Downtown
GVSHP shares our oral history collection with the public, highlighting some of the people and stories that make Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo such unique and vibrant neighborhoods. … Continued
Former Schools of Greenwich Village and the East Village
Now that school is back in session and summer weather is having its last hurrahs, we’re all either living by the bell or remembering the days when we did. So … Continued
Mae West learned “the best way to behave is to misbehave” in Greenwich Village
Mae West is well known as being one of America’s earliest and biggest Hollywood starlets. But the struggles of her early years trying to make it big in the Big … Continued
The Pyramid Club: New York City’s First Drag Landmark
101 Avenue A is home to the Pyramid Club which became a launching point for pioneering drag superstars like Lady Bunny and RuPaul, setting in motion the contemporary drag movement. … Continued
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center — Finally a Landmark
This is one in a series of posts marking the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District. Click here to check out our year-long activities and … Continued
Immersive Village History in your Pocket: Google Arts & Culture
Sure, our phones might seem to be more curse than blessing sometimes, eating up our time and attention more than we’d like to admit. But of course they have also … Continued
The Stonewall National Monument
On June 27th, 2016, President Obama designated the Stonewall National Monument, the 412th National Park site, and the first U.S. National Monument chosen specifically for its LGBT history. This milestone … Continued
Stonewall Inn: State and National Register Pioneer
Six sites were recently designated landmarks by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission based on their LGBT history and association, two of which were part of a five-year campaign by Village Preservation: … Continued
New York State WorldPride Welcome Center Opens in Greenwich Village
This June is LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) Pride month as well as the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, and among the many events and … Continued
St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery’s Pride Ribbon Project
To honor and recognize LGBT Pride Month, each year the St. Marks Church-In-The-Bowery produces an art installation along 2nd Avenue between 10th and 11th Street, the Pride Ribbon Project. The … Continued
Cole Porter: A Prolific Musical Career Launched in Greenwich Village
Cole Porter was a paradox; a musical genius who truly defined a time in musical history, he was at once a privileged sybarite and a bohemian provocateur all at the … Continued
East Village Building Blocks Tour: the LGBTQ East Village
While the neighboring West Village may have the more well-known sites, the East Village contains a rich assortment of places connected to LGBTQ history, including the homes of noted artists, … Continued
Viewers Choice: Top 5 Village Preservation Program Videos of 2018
Each year, Village Preservation hosts more than sixty public programs. They cover our neighborhoods from the western edge of Greenwich Village to the easternmost reaches of the East Village. Topics … Continued
A Tale of Two Crises: Thomas Paine and Marie Du Mont
On December 19, 1776, Thomas Paine published The American Crisis, a series of pamphlets that helped fan the flames of American patriotism to inspire the American troops and public during … Continued
“An Intimate and Unconventional Space:” Caffe Cino
Caffe Cino at 31 Cornelia Street was a community, a haven, the birthplace of countless theatrical careers and movements, and the origin of off-off-Broadway theater. In November 2017, Caffe Cino … Continued
Gay Activist Alliance Headquarters Bombed
On October 15, 1974, the Gay Activist Alliance Firehouse, located in SoHo at 99 Wooster Street, was bombed.
Coming Out, and Going Out, in the Village
October 11th is National Coming Out Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness and visibility of the LGBT community through the process of “coming out,” or identifying one’s LGBT identity … Continued
Beyond the Village and Back: Assyrian Revival on West 30th Street
In 2001, the Landmarks Preservation Commission designated 130 West 30th Street as a Landmark. Designed by the preeminent architect Cass Gilbert in 1927–28, the building was built to accommodate offices, showrooms and manufacturing space for the fur industry.
Beyond the Village and Back: “Becoming Visible” and The Legacy of Stonewall at the NYPL
Our Beyond the Village and Back series takes a look at great landmarks in New York City outside of our neighborhoods, finding the sometimes hidden connection to the Village. Today we … Continued
Bea Arthur Residence: 2018 Regina Kellerman Award Winner
The Bea Arthur Residence for homeless LGBT youth, named for “Golden Girl” Bea Arthur, was born of a partnership between the Cooper Square Committee and the Ali Forney Center. This … Continued
Announcing the 2018 Village Awardees
Over the past 28 years, GVSHP has honored the unique and outstanding people, organizations, places, and business that make the Village what it is with our Village Awards. You can RSVP … Continued
Mapping Civil Rights and Social Justice — A Year Later
On January 3, 2017, GVSHP launched our Civil Rights and Social Justice Map. Something in the air told us there might be a hunger and need for this kind of … Continued
Julius’ Bar, an LGBT Landmark
On December 5, 2012, GVSHP asked the New York State Office of Historic Preservation to find Julius’ Bar (a Village Award winner) eligible for the State and National Registers of … Continued
The Legacy of the Stonewall Riots
The infamous raid on the Stonewall Inn occurred at 3am on June 28th, 1969, and was followed by five nights of ongoing protests. These events came to be known as the … Continued
The Church of the Village: Remembering Injustice Against Gay Clergy Event
On Wednesday, June 21st, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation attended a plaque unveiling at the Church of the Village to honor former gay clergymen. Reverends Clarence Edward Egan … Continued
LGBT History in All Corners: NoHo
June is Pride Month, an especially exciting time in our neighborhoods. LGBT history is closely tied with the Village and environs, and this month we’re highlighting the LGBT history of the … Continued
LGBT History in All Corners of the Village: East Village
This is the latest post in our Pride Month series, read the first on the West Village here. June is Pride Month, which makes it especially exciting time to be … Continued
LGBT History in All Corners of the Village: The West Village
June is Pride Month, which makes it an especially exciting time to be in the Village. LGBT history is closely tied with the Village and its environs, and throughout the … Continued
Historic Court Decision Had Roots in Village House
The historic 2017 federal court decision that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) people are protected from employment discrimination under the civil rights act has deep roots in a house in the … Continued
Ana Maria Simo – Lesbian Avenger in the East Village
Here at GVSHP, we’re always singing the praises of the avant-garde, innovative, inspiring women of Greenwich Village, East Village and NoHo. But since March is Women’s History Month, we’ve got a … Continued
Black History Month in the Village: African-American & LGBT Historic Sites
February is Black History Month. We here at GVSHP are celebrating it by highlighting different sites of significance to the African-American community within our neighborhoods. We’re focusing on sites found on … Continued
LGBT History: Not Just West Village Bars
Here at GVSHP we are excited about our recently launched Village Civil Rights & Social Justice Map. With our upcoming LGBT history bar crawl at the end of the month … Continued
Dog Day Anniversary
The wedding of John Wojtowicz and Ernest Aron (later Elizabeth Eden). On August 22, 1972, what may be the most legendary bank robbery in New York City history took … Continued
Business of the Month: Exit9 Gift Emporium, 51 Avenue A
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, … Continued
GVSHPride: Roundup of LGBTQ Resources and Information
Happy Pride Week! Each June during the week leading up to the Gay Pride March, NYC celebrates Pride Week. Throughout the week, different groups and organizations will host events, throw parties, … Continued
2016 Village Award Winner: Julius’ Bar
Off the Grid is highlighting the 2016 Village Awards winners in the lead up to the June 14th Annual Meeting & Award Ceremony. Click here for more information about the event and to … Continued
Happy Birthday Greenwich Village Historic District
Note: This is an updated version of a post originally written by Drew Durniak Map of the Greenwich Village Historic District. Click to enlarge. On April 29th, 1969, mayor John … Continued
GVSHP Keeping up the Fight
During the holiday season we reflect back on the past year. Here at GVSHP we’ve certainly had some big accomplishments. We have also had a lot of wonderful support from … Continued
Why “Double Designate” Stonewall?
Stonewall was designated an individual landmark on June 23, 2015. Since then, people have asked us why, if the building was already located in a designated historic district, was the … Continued
Diana Davies Collection of Historic LGBT Images
Following on some groundbreaking events last week – the LPC designation of the Stonewall Inn as the city’s first LGBT individual landmark and then the Supreme Court ruling on marriage … Continued
2015 Village Award Winner David Rothenberg
Off the Grid is highlighting the winners of the 2015 Village Awards in the lead up to the June 17th Annual Meeting & Award Ceremony. Previous entries include Barbara Shaum … Continued
June is Gay Pride Month
This year’s Gay Pride Month certainly got off to an auspicious start with the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission finally agreeing to consider the Stonewall Inn for individual landmark … Continued
A Brief History of “Rent”
On April 29, 1996, playwright Jonathan Larson’s Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning musical “Rent” made its Broadway debut at The Nederlander Theatre. As many Broadway show-goers and longtime East … Continued
A Preservation Agenda For Landmarking’s 50th Birthday
For weeks now we’ve all been celebrating the 50th anniversary of the signing of New York City’s landmarks law, which actually took place on April 19, 1965. As we approach … Continued
Village People: Murray Hall
(This post is the first of a series called Village People: A Who’s Who of Greenwich Village, which will explore some of this intern’s favorite Village people and stories.) 453 … Continued
Village People: Djuna Barnes
(This post is part of a series called Village People: A Who’s Who of Greenwich Village, which will explore some of this intern’s favorite Village people and stories.) Djuna Barnes … Continued
LGBTQ History: Around Christopher Street
Christopher Street is the place most of us look to when it comes to LGBTQ history in New York. It is the site of the Stonewall Uprising, with the second … Continued
Village People: Elizabeth Fisher Read and Esther Lape
(This post is part of a series called Village People: A Who’s Who of Greenwich Village, which will explore some of this intern’s favorite Village people and stories.) 20 East … Continued
Village People: Paul Clayton
(This post is part of a series called Village People: A Who’s Who of Greenwich Village, which will explore some of this intern’s favorite Village people and stories.) Paul Clayton … Continued
LGBTQ History: Cooper Square and Bowery
In the 1890s, the Bowery, like Bleecker Street, was a center of ‘gay’ nightlife in New York City. On Bleecker Street, the Black Rabbit and the Slide did business, offering … Continued
LGBTQ History: Bleecker Street
An early twentieth-century song entitled ‘The Greenwich Village Epic’ declares: ‘Fairyland’s not far from Washington Square.’ By this time, park police had arrested men for having sex with male partners … Continued
Eating Fire: A Brief History of the Lesbian Avengers in NYC
Tonight at the Hudson Park Library at 6:30pm, lesbian activist, independent journalist and East Village author Kelly Cogswell will discuss her new book at our free public program, “Eating Fire: … Continued
LGBTQ History: MacDougal Street
(This post is the first of a series on the history of the LGBTQ community in Greenwich Village.) It is easy to assume, in the aftermath of the Stonewall riots, … Continued
Kitty Genovese and the Village
On March 13th, 1964, Kitty Genovese was brutally raped and murdered in Kew Gardens, Queens. The crime, and Kitty Genovese’s name, became symbols of much more than this one savage … Continued
A First for Recognizing LGBT History in the South Village
Over the past several weeks, we’ve been highlighting the recent designation of the South Village Historic District, which GVSHP fought ten years to achieve, as well as the treasure trove … Continued
Historic Senate Vote Had Roots in Village House
The United States Senate’s historic passage yesterday of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), banning workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, has deep roots in a … Continued
The March on Washington and the Village
On August 28th, 1963, one of the most iconic and transformative events of the civil rights movement took place, the ‘March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.’ One of the … Continued
Pride Week 2013 wrap-up
On the last Sunday of June, since 1970, the New York City LGBT community has celebrated the last day of Pride Week with a march (NOT a parade) that ends … Continued
PFLAG Historic Plaque Unveiling On A Beautiful Day
Yesterday the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), and The Church of the Village unveiled a bronze historic marker now permanently … Continued
Landmarks Preservation Commission Celebrates Gay Pride, Doesn’t Designate Gay Landmarks
The Landmarks Preservation Commission has recently begun creating on-line slide shows to showcase various history months as represented by some of the city’s roughly 31,000 landmarked properties. In March, they … Continued