Discover NYC’s Hispanic Heritage through the lens of LGBTQ History

LGBTQ Latinas/os have made important political, artistic, and cultural contributions to New York City life since the mid-20th century, particularly after immigration from South America and the Caribbean increased in the 1960s and 1970s. This Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15th through October 15th), we embrace the opportunity to spotlight LGBTQ community members of Hispanic heritage who’ve impacted American culture via historic sites in New York City.

LGBTQ Historia en Español: Antonia Pantoja

Project consultant Andrés Santana-Miranda helps us highlight the impact of Puerto Rico-born Antonia Pantoja on NYC and American culture with duo-lingual videos, in both Spanish and English. Then, read more on our website.

Photo of Antonia Pantoja, courtesy of the Antonia Pantoja Papers, Center for Puerto Rican Studies.

CURATED THEME: Hispanic Heritage

Explore more sites in our Hispanic Heritage curated theme. Some highlights:

Manuel Ramos Otero Residence
300 Fort Washington Avenue
Manhattan

Widely regarded as one of the most important openly gay Puerto Rican writers of the 20th century, Manuel Ramos Otero developed an explicitly gay literature that transcended the canons of Puerto Rican literature at the time. (read more)

María Irene Fornés Residence
1 Sheridan Square
Manhattan

An influential figure in the Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway movements, Cuban-born playwright and director María Irene Fornés had a 40-year career in the theater and was celebrated for her experimental use of visuals, music, and the stage in her work. (read more)

Nyuorican Poets Café
236 East 3rd Street
Manhattan

Founded in 1973, the Nuyorican Poets Café has operated on the first floor of this building since 1981. It has served as a space to validate and celebrate the complex experiences of the Puerto Rican community in New York City, particularly on the Lower East Side (or “Loisaida”), and has important LGBTQ associations. (read more)

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