Bringing History Out of the Closet: New York City landmarks protect LGBTQ sites - The New York Community Trust

February 26, 2020 | By The New York Community Trust

Bringing History Out of the Closet: New York City landmarks protect LGBTQ sites

ON STATEN ISLAND: Audre Lorde’s home is now protected as a historic site, thanks to the Trust-supported work of NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project.

In 2019, the city designated six sites as landmarks notable for their role in lesbian, gay, transgender, and queer history. A multi-year advocacy effort, led by the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project, resulted in the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission designation, which protects historically significant buildings.

Audre Lorde in her home. Portrait by Robert Giard (c) Estate of Robert Giard

“Official recognition of these sites makes an impact and we’re thrilled to know these buildings will live on as learning tools,” said Amanda Davis, project manager for the Historic Sites Project.

The sites include novelist James Baldwin’s home, poet and essayist Audre Lorde’s home, and Caffe Cino, the birthplace of Off-Off Broadway theater and a pioneer in plays about LGBTQ life. The Trust has awarded $170,000 to the Historic Sites Project since the group’s inception in 2015.