Rainbow Honor Walk, LGBTQ walk of fame in the Castro, San Francisco, US

The Rainbow Honor Walk is a walk of fame in San Francisco's Castro neighborhood, where bronze plaques are set into the sidewalk along Castro Street and Market Street. Each plaque bears an honoree's name, a short account of their achievements, and their field, such as art, activism, or science. The first twenty plaques were installed in 2014, followed by twenty-four more in 2019.

The concept started in the late 1980s when David Perry, a gay public relations professional, recognized the need to remember LGBTQ pioneers and their contributions to equality. The first bronze plaques were installed in 2014, with additional names added in 2019 to keep the legacy of these individuals alive for future generations.

The Rainbow Honor Walk features names of people who openly lived their LGBTQ identity and challenged social norms through their work. The bronze plaques in the sidewalk tell stories of artists, activists, and leaders whose courage shaped the Castro neighborhood and remain visible in its vibrant community today.

The route runs from the Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy at 19th and Collingwood along Castro Street to Market Street, then to the LGBTQ Community Center at Octavia Boulevard, with branches both ways at 18th and Castro. Plaques sit in the sidewalk underfoot, so watch the pavement rather than storefronts. The 400 and 500 blocks of Castro hold the Castro Street History Walk plaques as well.

The first twenty plaques, installed in 2014, included Keith Haring, activist George Choy, Sylvester, Randy Shilts and Tom Waddell, all of whom died of AIDS. Isak Lindenauer coined the name Rainbow Honor Walk and made a mockup with the name framed by rainbow mosaic tiles. Anyone can nominate an honoree; the first round drew more than 150 suggestions.