ABOVE: N.Y. Yankees unveil plaque honoring The Stonewall Inn riots. (Photo from Twitter)
NEW YORK (AP) | A plaque in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium has been dedicated to commemorate the Stonewall Inn uprising 50 years ago, which sparked a pivotal rebellion in the LGBTQ rights movement.
The plaque was unveiled June 25 before New York played the Toronto Blue Jays. It is located on a wall alongside tablets honoring Jackie Robinson and Nelson Mandela for their work fighting prejudice, breaking barriers and creating equality.
“The Yankees have a distinct role within the fabric of this great city & we are proud to recognize the historical impact the Stonewall Inn Uprising continues to make towards acceptance & equality” -Yankees President Randy Levine pic.twitter.com/Sh0KcmXP8v
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) June 26, 2019
Steps away sit monuments and plaques that celebrate Yankees greats from Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig to Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera.
New York pitchers CC Sabathia and Dellin Betances, along with general manager Brian Cashman, were on hand for the ceremony.
“You walk through our clubhouse & you see people from all kinds of walks of life. I feel like we’re stronger because of that. This is a night that honors that. As I say to our players sometimes – love somebody that’s different from you. I think that’s important” –@AaronBoone pic.twitter.com/y2uu76jqO5
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) June 26, 2019
In the wee hours of June 28, 1969, a police raid of the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City’s Greenwich Village, gave rise to a series of riots that fueled the LGBT rights movement.
The Yankees celebrated the 50th anniversary and “New York’s legacy of pride” on Tuesday night with ceremonies that also highlighted the team’s Yankees-Stonewall Scholars Initiative.
