Save LGBTQIA Icon Morris Kight’s 4th Street Home - Designate as an Historic-Cultural Monument
- Target:
- Los Angeles City Council; :LA Council Member Eunisses Hernandez
- Region:
- United States of America
- Website:
- www.savemorriskights4thstreet.com
Morris Kight's home located at 1822 West 4th Street in Los Angeles is set to be demolished unless the Los Angeles City Council designates this home (not just the site) a Historical - Cultural monument in support of that recommendation by the Cultural Heritage Commission. It comes before the Planning and Land Use Committee on June 6, 2023.
WHY IS MORRIS KIGHT'S HOME IS SO IMPORTANT?
According the L.A. Conservancy:
"Morris Kight (1919-2003) is considered one of the founding fathers of the American LGBTQ civil rights movement.
His Los Angeles residence, a modest Craftsman home in the Westlake neighborhood and a hub of LGBTQ social activity in the twentieth century helped form the backdrop to his work as an activist and gay rights pioneer."
Kight would go on to co-found several prominent LGBTQ rights organizations.
"The most notable of these is the Committee for Homosexual Freedom, which became the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) in 1969.
"Kight also spearheaded the creation of the Gay Community Services Center, which today is known as the Los Angeles LGBT Center."
"In 1970, Kight co-founded the Christopher Street West gay pride parade in Los Angeles, the first gay pride parade and festival in the world and still a model for pride events across the globe."
Morris Kight is also a co-founder of Stonewall Democratic Club, which brings LGBTQIA issues to the forefront of the Democratic Party.
We, the undersigned, implore the Los Angeles City Council to designate the home of the late Morris Kight, located at 1822 West 4th Street in Los Angeles, a Cultural - Historical Monument in support of the nomination by the Cultural Heritage Commission. .
We also urge Los Angeles City Council member., Eunisses' Hernandez, in whose district the house is located, to stand with the LGBTQIA community in support of designating the Kight House (not just the site) a Cultural - Historical monument.
"Councilmember Hernandez's office called for the Historical - Cultural monument to be in name only, as a "site of" designation that will not include or protect the actual house in which LGBTQ+ history happened. This was based on a request by the owner and their representatives who hope to redevelop this site and demolish the Morris Kight Residence."
Morris Kight was an icon in the LGBTQIA movement and his home was a hub where LGBTQIA organizations were founded and coalitions met to strategize on how to empower the burgeoning LGBTQIA movement.
Morris Kight is the co=founder of the first gay pride parade in the world (Christopher Street West Gay Pride parade), the LGBT Center in Los Angeles, Stonewall Democratic Club and the Gay Liberation Front among others.
In the words of Stonewall Democratic Club politial action chair, Renay Grace Rodriguez, |"The craftsman home located in the predominantly Latino Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles is an example of how great movements can start from humble roots."
The Los Angeles Conservancy asks: "Why is LGBTQ+ heritage not worthy of equal recognition for its heritage? Less than 1% of all designated Historical Cultural Monuments in Los Angeles represent LGBTQ+ heritage."
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The Save LGBTQIA Icon Morris Kight’s 4th Street Home - Designate as an Historic-Cultural Monument petition to Los Angeles City Council; :LA Council Member Eunisses Hernandez was written by Save Morris Kight Home and is in the category Civil Rights at GoPetition.