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Connect to The
Blackstripe Black
Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual and
Trans website.

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National Black
Lesbian& Gay
Leadership Forum.

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National Body of
the Black Men's
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Last updated:
14, February, 1998 by
Chuck Tarver

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, nero@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]