75% of Jews Owned 1 or More Slaves #2 by Susan Cohen
Wayne Johnson
THE BLACKLIST
This list of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered people of
African Descent was first developed in response to requests for names
of lesbigay and trans people to include in Black History Month 1994
celebrations. It is called the "Blacklist" for two reasons both of
which are obvious. First, the people listed are of African descent,
black. Second, unfortunately some members of the black community have
sought to disavow the contributions, identities, or worth of many of
the people listed here.
The Blacklist was first made available through the Queer Resources
Directory and America Online. It was inspired by Mark Hertzog's "The
Out List" which is also located in the Queer Resources Directory. This
is an ongoing project.
Terms such as Black History Month and people of African Descent are
used because not all of the people listed here are American. The term
African-American in this case is therefore incorrect.
The list is in alphabetical order by last name. A key and reference
list are included. Many of those listed are famous, while others are
less well known. An asterisk (*) indicates those still living. Due to
the lack of confirming sources, many people known to be gay have been
omitted. It is impossible for any list to encompass the history of a
people. No list is complete. Important people are always missed.
Significant contributions often go unnoticed, unreported and
unrecorded. While honoring those on this list, take a moment to
reflect on how you, too, are making history.
The Black homosexual is hard pressed to
gain audience among his heterosexual brothers;
even if he is more talented, he is inhibited
by his silence or his admissions. This is what
the race has depended on in being able to erase
homosexuality from our recorded history.
The "chosen" history. But these sacred
constructions of silence are futile
exercises in denial. We will not go away with
our issues of sexuality. We are coming home.
--Essex Hemphill
*Indicates still living.
Compiled by Chuck Tarver at the University of Delaware, ne...@udel.edu.
Please send corrections, additions and additional sources Chuck
Tarver.
Adams, Gregory* Activist. Media director for the 1993 March on
Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation.
Founder and executive director of the Bayard Rustin Alliance. [ BGLLF]
Adoma, Kofi* Activist, psychologist. Co-founder of Family, the Detroit
Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays, The James Baldwin-Pat Parker
Society, The A. Lorde Collective, The Ujamaa Investment Club, and The
Karibu House Planning Commitee (An effort to start a lgbt people of
color community center in Detroit). [NBLGLF]
Ailey, Alvin (1931-1989) Choreographer. Founder of the world renown
Alvin Ailey dance troupe. Ailey combined African American movement
with spirituals, jazz and contemporary music in a unique fashion. [EB]
Ajrian-Omari, Eden* Writer, poet, activist. Ajrian-Omari an artist,
performer and fashion designer is currently a non-traditional student
at the University of Oregon who serves on the President's Committee on
Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Concerns. [BGLLF]
Als, Hilton* Author The Women and contributor to The New Yorker since
1994. Als is a former staff writer for the Village Voice and editor at
large at Vibe magazine. His work has appeared in The Nation and The
New York Times. He has written film scripts for "Swoon" and "Looking
for Langston," and most recently edited the catalogue for the Whitney
Museum of American Art exhibition entitled "Black Male:
Representations of Masculinity in Contemporary American Art," which
ran from November, 1994, to March, 1995. [TW]
Arrington, Stanford S.* (1952) AIDS activist. Founder of CARE/Black
Gays & Lesbians United Aganist AIDS, Denver Co. 1989. Colorado's first
openly HIV positive, gay, African-American appointed to serve on the
Colorado Governor's AIDS Advisory Council, 1990. Executive Director of
Ohio's First Black AIDS Service Emporium (First B.A.S.E.) First
B.A.S.E. provides case management, housing and HIV/AIDS education for
gay men of color. [P]
Baker, Cornelius* AIDS Activist. President of the National Association
of People With AIDS, NAPWA. [WB]
Baker, Josephine (1906-1975) Entertainer. Chorus girl who rose to fame
in the Folies Bergere in Paris. Baker left home at age 13 to pursue a
career in show business. Finding the United States difficult for black
performers, she eventually settled in France. She and her husband had
a large multiracial adopted family which she called her Rainbow Tribe.
She was known to have had many same-sex affairs. [AA]
Baldwin, James (1924-1987) Writer and civil rights activist. Baldwin
was not afraid to speak out on issues of oppression. A prolific writer
his works included: "Go Tell It On The Mountain", "Giovanni's Room",
"Another Country", and "The Fire Next Time." An expatriate, Baldwin
urged American society to discard its myths. He felt the most
destructive myth was "white superiority." [AA]
Banks Alicia* radio producer/host/columnist/author. Banks hosted AM
and FM radio shows in Atlanta GA, the heart of the bible belt and is
the only out homosexual in the nation known to have hosted a prime
time commercial radio talk show. Her FM show mixed the musical and
literary voices of Black women with musical, political and sexual
diversity. She writes the weekly column, Eloquent Fury. Her pending
book of radical essays "Outlook: The Book" will soon be scheduled for
release. Banks is heard on KPFA (94.1FM) Berkeley, CA.[P]
Banneker, Benjamin (1731-1806) Mathematician. Self-taught
mathematician, astronomer and inventor who designed Washington, DC. As
a youth, Banneker invented a wooden clock that kept accurate time
throughout his lifetime. Banneker also wrote essays on the evils of
slavery. [AA]
Batts, Deborah* (1947) Judge. In June of 1994, Deborah Batts was sworn
in as a Federal District Judge for Manhattan, becoming the nation's
first openly lesbian African-American federal judge. Batts was on the
faculty of Fordham University School of Law before her appointment by
President Bill Clinton. [WB, FT]
Beam, Joseph (1954-1988) Writer and activist. Responsible for "In The
Life", an anthology of work by black gay writers. Beam's personal
papers have been donated to the Schomburg Center for Research in Black
Culture in Harlem, the nation's foremost collection of black history.
Beam died of AIDS-related complications. [BLK, ITL]
Bean, Carl* Clergy, activist. Founder and Bishop of Unity Fellowship
Church, which now has congregations in Los Angeles, Detroit, New York,
Washington, DC and Philadelphia. Chief Executive Officer of Unity
Fellowship Ministries, which includes the Minority AIDS Project (MAP).
[BLK, OC]
Bell, Alan* Publisher. Heads firm that publishes five black lesbian
and gay magazines including BLK The Black Lesbian and Gay
Newsmagazine. He was editor and publisher of Gaysweek, New York's
first mainstream weekly lesbian and gay newspaper. [P]
Bellinger, George Jr.* (1955) AIDS activist. Bellinger has been active
in developing strategies to address the HIV/AIDS concerns of gay men
of color, adolescents, substance abusers and women. [BGLLF]
Birtha, Becky * (1948) Writer. Author of several books of poems and
short stories including "Lover's Choice" and "For Nights Like This
One: Stories of Loving Women." [BLK, HG]
Blackberri* (1945) Musician, actor, activist. Born Charles Timothy
Ashmore, Blackberri has appeared in "Word is Out" and "Tongues
Untied." His music appears in "Tongues Untied" and "Looking for
Langston." [BLK, ITL]
Boykin, Keith* (1965) Attorney, writer. Former Executive Director of
the National Black Lesbian and Gay Leadership Forum. Author, One More
River To Cross Formerly with the Clinton Administration as Director
of Specialty Press. Boykin was present when Clinton met with
gay/lesbian leaders at the White House. [BLK]
Brinkley, Sidney* Journalist. Brinkley's work has appeared in the gay
press throughout the country. He also headed Blacklight Press, which
published "BGM." [BLK]
Brown, Ron* (1966) Choreographer. Heads the modern-dance troupe, Ron
Brown/Evidence. Brown works with loosely narrative pieces. "Dirt Road"
is among his works. [NYT]
Buckmire, Ron* (1968) Mathematician. Founded and runs the Queer
Resources Directory, the largest collection of information on
gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender/AIDS available on the Internet. [OL]
Burke, Glenn (1952-1995) Athlete. Played professional baseball 1976-78
with the Dodgers. Later traded to the Oakland A's 1978-79. Burke hit
237 with two home runs, 38 R-B-I and 35 stolen bases in his 225 major
league games. Burke is credited with giving baseball's first "high
five". He played basketball in the 1986 Gay Games. The November 21,
1994, issue of "People" magazine updated his life and his struggle
with AIDS. Burke died of AIDS-related complications May 30, 1995. His
autobiography, "Out At Home" was co-written with Erik Sherman. [AA,
BW]
Burrell, Walter Rico (1946-1990) Publicist. Burrell worked for
Universal, Motown, 20th Century Fox, MGM and ABC. Wrote one of the
earliest pieces by a black gay man chronicling his life with HIV/AIDS.
He died of AIDS-related complications. [BB, BLK]
Carter, Mandy* Activist. Field Director for the National Black Lesbian
and Gay Leadership Forum. Formerly, Public Policy Advocate for the
Human Rights Campaign Fund (HRCF). Member of the executive committee
of Stonewall 25 and a member of the Board of Directors of the Bayard
Rustin Alliance. Carter works to counter the religious right's
encroachment into communities of color. [BLK]
Chablis, Lady* Performer. "Benjamin Edward Knox", "Brenda Dale Knox",
Chablis was featured in the John Berendt Novel Midnight in the Garden
of Good and Evil and played herself in the movie version produced by
Clint Eastwood. Chablis's autobiography is Hiding My Candy. [NBLGLF]
Cheeks, Rainey* Clergy. Pastor of Washington, DC Unity Fellowship
Church. Founder and Program Director of Us Helping Us, People Into
Living, Inc. Cheeks is a longtime AIDS survivor who has developed his
own holistic treatments. [BLK, BGLLF]
Cheetam, Carlene* Activist. Co-chair of the DC Coalition of Black
Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals. One of the founders of Washington DC's
Black Lesbian and Gay Pride Day. [BLK]
Clarke, Cheryl* Writer. Member of Kitchen Table Women of Color Press.
Works include: "Narratives: Poems In the Tradition of Black Women" and
"Lesbianism: An Act of Resistance," in "This Bridge Called My Back."
[BLK, HG]
Cleveland, James (1931-1991) Clergy, gospel musician. Cleveland
founded the Cornerstone Baptist Church in Los Angeles and served as
its pastor. He is better know for his work as a gospel recording
artist, receiving a posthumous fourth Grammy for the LP "Having
Church." Toward the end of his life he moved beyond internalized
homophobia to become active in the fight against AIDS. He died of
AIDS-related complications. [BLK]
Cliff, Michelle* Writer. Jamaican author of "Claiming an Identity They
Taught Me to Despise" and co-author of "Sinister Wisdom." [HG]
Clinton, Michelle T.* Poet. Clinton's publications include: "Good
Sense and the Faithless" and "High Blood/Pressure." Her recordings
include: "Black Angels" and "Blood as a Bright Color" on Freeways
Records. [BGLLF]
Coleman, James Ellis Jr. (1946) Historian. Chief researcher,
International Homophilics Institute (IHI) since 1966. Founder of IHI's
Committee on Negro Homophilica,1967, now IHI's Africa Committee. Many
of the historical names on the Blacklist were first brought to
academic and public attention by Coleman. He is a descendent of Bishop
Richard Allen (founder of the AME Church). Coleman was an early
correspondent of Mattachine and the One Institute and IHI's
Encyclopedia Homophilica which provided base data for the Encyclopedia
of Homosexuality, 1990. In 1991 he served as Secretary of the American
Historical Association Committee on Gay and Lesbian History . He has
served as Editor of the Journal of Homophilics (1980-1990) and also as
Editor of The Gay Review (1990-1991). [IHI]
Cooke, Welmore Alfred (1925-1992) Activist. W.W.II and Korean War
veteran who was one of the founders of Black Lesbian and Gay Pride Day
in Washington, DC. Cooke was president of Washington's Pinnacle Club
and a charter member of Best Friends of Washington, a people of color
AIDS support organization. He died of AIDS-related complications.
[BLK]
Cooper, Mario* (1955) Attorney. Cooper served as the Convention
Manager for the 1992 Democratic National Convention in New York.
Cooper managed a staff of more than 200 and a budget of more than $12
million. He also served on President Carter's advance team and was
responsible for the President's domestic and foreign travel. [BGLLF]
Corbin, Steven (?-1995) Novelist. Latest work is "Fragments that
Remain." Previous work, "No Easy Place to Be." Corbin died of
AIDS-related complications. [BLK]
Cox, Debra* Activist. Director of finance and administration for the
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF). [WB]
Cullen, Countee (1903-1946) Writer. Harlem Renaissance poet known for
"The Ballad of the Brown Girl", "Copper Sun" and "The Black Christ and
Other Poems." Cullen married W.E.B. DuBois' daughter but two months
later sailed off to Europe with Harold Jackman, his best man at the
wedding. He is known for the verse questioning the pain of his
existence. "I DOUBT not God is good, well meaning, kind,...Yet do I
marvel at this curious thing: To make a poet black, and bid him sing!"
[AA]
Curry, Dee* Transgender activist. Member of the Metropolitan
Washiington HIV Planning and Prevention Council. An outspoken
supporter of the needs of the underrepresented, she has worked hard
for transgender inclusion. [NBLGLF]
Davidson, Jaye* Actor. British actor with lead role in the film, "The
Crying Game." [OL]
Davis , Angela* (1944) Activist. Professor and activist Angela Davis
made what many are interpreting as her coming out statement during her
keynote address and press conference at the Sixth Annual BGLLF
Conference (1993) in Long Beach, California. [BGLLF, WB]
Davis, Paul* AIDS Educator. Director of Education for the Minority
AIDS Project of Los Angeles, (MAP). [AL]
Davis, Sharon* (transgendered author, activist) Author of "A Finer
Specimen of Womanhood" A transsexual speaks out, New York, Vantage,
1985. As an African American woman who was once an African American
man, Ms. Davis offers an enlightened and very personal account of her
transition. She has appeared on television and radio to speak on
transsexual issues, and is presently president of an AIDS outreach
program.[RAD]
Dee, Roberta Angela* (transgendered author, activist) Dee has been
writing about feminist, gender and racial issues since 1959. Author of
several novellas on transsexual issues, including "The Business of
Being a Woman." She writes regularly for TG Forum, and is founder of
the Women on the Net (WON) website -- a resource for women of
color.[P]
Delany, Samuel* (1942) Writer. Popular and critically acclaimed
science fiction writer. Delany is one of the few African Americans
writing in that genre. His works include: "The Jewels of Aptor" and
"The Motion of Light in Water." [AA]
DeLoatch, Gary (1951-1992) Performer. Principal dancer with the Alvin
Ailey Dance Theater. [BLK]
Dixon, Melvin (1950-1992) Writer, scholar. Author of two novels,
"Vanishing Rooms" and "Trouble the Water" and a volume of poetry,
"Change of Territory." He translated "The Collected Poems of Leopold
Sedar Senghor." He died of AIDS-related complications. [BLK, OC]
Dodson, Owen Vincent (1914-1983) Educator and Writer. Drama director
at Spellman 1938-1941. Instructor and director of drama at Atlanta
University 1938-1942 and Hampton Institute 1941-1942. Chair of the
Drama Department, Howard University 1960-69. In 1949 Dodson led the
Howard University Players on the first State Department-sponsored
European tour by a black theatre company. It was the first European
tour by any American college group. Their success was influential in
the establishment of the federally funded cultural exchange program.
[TW]
Duplechan, Larry* Novelist. Author of a series of novels including:
"Eight Days a Week", "Blackbird" and "Captain Swing." [BG, BLK]
Evans, Herbert (1951-1996) Clergy. Former Pastor MCC, Philadelphia.
Serves on MCC Judicial Affairs Board and on the AIDS National
Interfaith Network (ANIN), the Ecumenical AIDS Committee. Evans died
of AIDS-related complications. [BGLLF, CO]
Farajaje-Jones, Elias* Theologian, activist. Farajaje-Jones, a
bisexual of mixed heritage (African & Native American,
Tsalagi/Cherokee), specialized in African Religions at the University
of Bern in Switzerland. Formerly on the faculty of Howard University.
[BGLLF]
Fashanu, Justin (1961 - 1998) Athlete. Nigerian born British soccer
player who came out in the London tabloid "The Sun." The soccer star
committed suicide in May of 1998. [AA, BLK, GT]
Frechette, David Warren (1948-1991) Journalist. His film, music and
gay culture articles appeared in "Advocate", "Black Film Review",
"City Sun" "Essence", and "Right On!" His chapbook, "Too Through" was
anthologized in "Here To Dare" 10 Gay Black Poets." He died of
AIDS-related complications. [BB, OC]
Furh, Gayle L.* Writer/storyteller. Founder and advisor of "Circle of
One" theater arts performance troupe. [AL]
Garner, Darlene* Clergy. Pastor of MCC, NOVA. First African American
Elder in the MCC Church. [BLK]
| REFERENCES | NEXT | LINKS |
On Tue, 12 Sep 2000 15:04:52 -0400, "Huckleberry Hoshimoto"
<huckleberr...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>Aaaaaaha..........thought I smelled fish!!!!!
>(If you can spell it, try FDS)
>
>
Coleman E. Howard
Susan Cohen
.237 with two home runs, 38 R-B-I and 35 stolen bases in his 225 major