This thesis examines the evolution of the Pulse Nightclub memorial from a vernacular, grassroots memorial to an officially designed memorial. This study determines and analyzes each stage of memorial development through a comparative analysis of case studies to identify commonalities, differences, and trends. Four queer memorials in the United States are examined and compared to the Pulse Interim Memorial including the Stonewall National Monument, Harvey Milk Plaza, National AIDS Memorial Grove, and the Transgender Memorial Garden. This research determines the socio-political influences causing LGBTQ memorials to transition from sites with local significance that facilitate grief to sites with national significance that are incorporated into the collective memory of the queer community and the United States as a whole. Stewardship and agency over decision-making processes by the affected community is essential to memorialization within the queer community. This is important in understanding the role of queer
