Duplex 212, Greenwich Village

When I lived in NYC, I enjoyed roaming the city with my camera. I was in Greenwich Village and saw this sad-looking gentleman, standing in front of this building, which peaked my interest. I walked up to him and asked him why he was so sad. . . he explained that the building used to be a gathering place for the Gay network, and he missed many friends. He then told me about The Stonewall Riots, also called the Stonewall Uprising, It began in the early hours of June 28, 1969 when New York City police raided the the building, then the Stonewall Inn, a gay club located in Greenwich Village in New York City. The raid sparked a riot among bar patrons and neighborhood residents as police roughly hauled employees and patrons out of the bar, leading to six days of protests and violent clashes with law enforcement outside the bar on Christopher Street, in neighboring streets and in nearby Christopher Park. The Stonewall Riots served as a catalyst for the gay rights movement in the United States and around the world. Afterward, I asked him to join me for a couple of beers. Thus, this photograph, and and story behind it.
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