A turning point in LGBTQ rights came in 1969, when New York police raided the Stonewall Inn gay bar and sparked street protests in the surrounding Greenwich Village neighborhood.
First Unitarian Church of Denver
This 19th century building hosted one of the modern world’s first same-sex weddings in 1975 after a defiant county clerk issued a marriage license to a gay couple. But the union wasn't recognize until 2016.
Elks Athletic Club
For several years, this former downtown hotel housed the Beaux Arts Cocktail Lounge. Newspaper advertisements in the 1950s labeled the bar “gay,” which historians say was meant as a coded message for homosexual customers.
Elizabeth Alice Austen House
Acclaimed photographer Elizabeth Alice Austen shared this home (now a museum) with her partner, Gertrude Tate, for more than 50 years. While Austen’s photos at times showed subjects in gender-bending roles, her relationship has only recently gotten attention.
The Women's Building
Founded by a women’s collective, this building still houses community organizations, from a food bank to a street youth group. It’s where a memorial service was held for Harvey Milk, the first openly gay member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, who was assassinated in 1978.
Washington's Congressional Cemetery
So many gay rights leaders are buried here that they’ve inspired a walking tour brochure. “It may be the only cemetery in the world with a special LGBTQ corner,” says Megan Springate, director of engagement at the America 250 Foundation.
Pulse Interim Memorial
Five years ago, the Pulse nightclub was the site of a mass shooting, considered the deadliest targeted murder in LGBTQ history claiming 49 lives. The nightclub site now has an interim memorial, with plans to build a permanent monument and museum.
Pauli Murray Family Home
Civil rights attorney Pauli Murray played a crucial role in shaping federal laws protecting women against employment discrimination. Murray was an African American who struggled throughout her life with her sexuality and gender identity. She helped found the National Organization for Women.