Gay black activist

From s civil rights activist Bayard Rustin to Chicago's first lesbian mayor, Lori Lightfoot, Black LGBTQ Americans have long made history with innumerable contributions to politics, art. The fight for LGBTQ+ rights has always been inextricably tied to the fight for Black civil rights. While more LGBTQ+ leaders of the civil rights movement have begun to receive acknowledgment in recent years, this was not always the case.

"With the help of my team, we compiled this list because as we celebrate and honor Pride month and Juneteenth, we wanted to amplify the voices of a few figures and activists that live at the. With time and tolerance, the many accomplishments and contributions of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people have come to be recognized and revered as part of.

In celebration of Black History Month, let's take the opportunity to learn about the Black LGBTQ+ individuals who played a crucial role in shaping the community. This compilation highlights 10 influential figures who made significant contributions during a period when living openly as a queer or trans person of color posed substantial challenges.

From s civil rights activist Bayard Rustin to Chicago's first lesbian mayor, Lori Lightfoot, Black LGBTQ Americans have long made history with innumerable contributions to politics, art, medicine and a host of other fields. Bentley was a gender-bending performer during the Harlem Renaissance. Donning a top hat and tuxedo, Bentley would sing the blues in Harlem establishments like the Clam House and the Ubangi Club.

According to a belated obituary published in , The New York Times said Bentley, who died in at the age of 52, was " Harlem's most famous lesbian " in the s and "among the best-known Black entertainers in the United States. In , Gov. Gavin Newsom pardoned Rustin for his arrest in when he was found having sex with two men in a parked car in Pasadena.

Rustin served 50 days in Los Angeles County jail and had to register as a sex offender. A biracial, butch lesbian, DeLarverie was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and was always a performer. As a teenager, she joined the Ringling Brothers Circus where she rode jumping horses. DeLarverie also served the community as a volunteer street patrol worker, and as a result, was called the " guardian of lesbians in the Village.

A writer and social critic, Baldwin is perhaps best known for his collection of essays, "Notes of a Native Son," and his groundbreaking novel, "Giovanni's Room," which depicts themes of homosexuality and bisexuality. The novel stood out among literary critics because it features all white characters, unlike the civil rights activist's other novels which center the experiences of Black people.

famous black lesbians in history

The iconic work was then made into a film starring Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dee. Hansberry died in , at just 34 years old, of pancreatic cancer. Ailey was a choreographer who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, one of the most prominent dance companies globally, in In , Ailey was posthumously awarded the ial Medal of Freedom for his influential work in bringing dance to underserved communities.

Eckstein was a leader in the New York chapter of Daughters of Bilitis , the first lesbian civil and political rights organization in the United States. She attended "Annual Reminder" picket protests and was frequently one of the only women — and the only Black woman — present at early LGBTQ rights protests. Eckstein was also an early activist in the Black feminist movement of the s and was involved with the organization Black Women Organized for Action.

According to historians, she viewed the fight for civil rights and LGBTQ rights as intrinsically linked. Jordan, a civil rights leader and attorney, became the first African American elected to the Texas Senate in , and the first woman and first African American elected to Congress from Texas in Jordan was awarded the ial Medal of Freedom by Bill Clinton in for her work as a political trailblazer. While Jordan never explicitly acknowledged her sexual orientation in public, she was open about her life partner of nearly 30 years, Nancy Earl.

Marsha P. Johnson — who would cheekily tell people the "P" stood for "pay it no mind" — was an outspoken transgender rights activist and is reported to be one of the central figures of the historic Stonewall uprising of Along with fellow trans activist Sylvia Rivera, Johnson helped form Street Transgender Action Revolutionaries STAR , a radical political organization that provided housing and other forms of support to homeless queer youth and sex workers in Manhattan.

Miss Major is Black transgender woman and activist at the forefront of the fight for trans rights.

She faced many hurdles during her life — including homelessness and incarceration — and it's these challenges that fueled her activism. She has often spoken out against the prison system, which she says contributes to the incarceration of transgender individuals, particularly trans people of color and those with low incomes. When Oden was elected mayor of Palm Springs, California in , he made history by becoming the first openly gay African American man elected mayor of an American city.

Jenkins made history in November by becoming the first openly transgender Black woman elected to public office in the U. Jenkins, a Democrat, was one of two openly trans people to win a seat on the Minneapolis City Council in She is also a published poet and an oral historian at the University of Minnesota.