NEW YORK — A street in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens has been named in honor of the founder of PFLAG and her family.
Officials have formally designated 171st Street between 33rd and 35th Avenues as “Jeanne, Jules, Morty Manford PFLAG Way,” reports the Western Queens Gazette.
In 1972, Jeanne Manford broke ground when she marched with her gay son, Morty, in the New York City Pride March. She was the first parent to publicly support a gay child.
Later, Jeanne and Jules Manford founded a support group for parents of gays and lesbians, which evolved in the national organization of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), a movement that now has more than 350 chapters and 200,000 members worldwide.
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“The Manfords stood up for true family values of love and acceptance,” said New York city council member Daniel Dromm.
“I am proud to have known such a courageous family and to have worked closely with Jeanne and Morty. My hope is this co-naming will not only honor the Manfords, but encourage all New Yorkers to stand up for equality,” he said.