The intersectionality of Black and LGBTQIA+ liberation movements teems with cultural icons and moments that have defined American history and advanced civil rights in this country.
The Black LGBTQIA+ community is broad, diverse, and impossible to define within a single editorial -- but for those who are curious about the biggest landmarks and figures, this is a good primer on the basics.
Additionally, read on to find some ways to support local queer Black folx in Austin during Black History Month and beyond.
Contributed by Kelly McComas
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QUEER BLACK PEOPLE WHO MADE HISTORY
Photo credit: Wally McNamee / Corbis via Getty Images
Barbara Jordan
Barbara Jordan was a Civil Rights Movement leader and politician, as well as a Texan born and raised. She made history as the first Black person elected to the Texas Senate and the first Southern Black woman elected to the US House of Representatives. Though she never publicly acknowledged her sexuality, she spent more than two decades with her life partner, Nancy Earl.
If her name sounds familiar, the main terminal at our airport was named in her honor, including a monumental statue of her inside.
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Photo credit: Gilles Petard/Redferns via Biography.com
Ma Rainey
You may not have heard of Ma Rainey prior to last year’s film “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”, but the movie about this trailblazing blues singer is based on a true story and a QPOC icon also known as “The Mother of the Blues”. Ma Rainey was a successful performer and businesswoman whose one-of-a-kind style left a lasting impression on blues music.
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Photo via Twitter
Andrea Jenkins
Andrea Jenkins is a woman of many talents. In addition to accomplishing the incredible feat of becoming the first black openly transgender woman elected to public office in the United States, she is also a talented performance artist, poet, and writer. You can order or pick up some of her written work at BookPeople!
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IMPORTANT MOMENTS IN QUEER BLACK HISTORY
Photo credit: O. Fernandez (Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs division)
Bayard Rustin and the Civil Rights Movement
Bayard Rustin was Martin Luther King’s right-hand man and one of the key organizers of the March on Washington. He was also openly gay and faced discrimination throughout his life due to both his race and sexual orientation. His key role in the Civil Rights Movement as a gay man is an inspiring example of the intersectionality of the LGBTQIA+ and Black liberation movements.
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Photo via Netflix
Marsha P. Johnson and The Stonewall Uprising of 1969
Marsha P. Johnson was a prominent gay rights activist and self-identified drag queen and trans woman. She was instrumental in the organization of the Stonewall Uprising of 1969, a series of demonstrations in response to a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village. If you haven’t seen the 2017 documentary “The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson”, it’s a great way to learn about this bold leader’s impact on the QPOC community.
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Photo credit: Patrisse Cullors; Hank Willis Thomas/Courtesy of Opal Tometi; Kristin Little/Courtesy of Alicia Garza
Black Lives Matter
Though Black Lives Matter is a decentralized social and political movement across the globe, many cite Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi as founders. These three Black women, two of whom are queer, established the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation in 2013 following the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the killing of Trayvon Martin. The BLM movement has only grown since their initiation of the slogan and activist network.
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SUPPORT QUEER BLACK PEOPLE IN AUSTIN TODAY
Buy some Queer Black Literature and Zines at BookWoman
5501 N Lamar Blvd #A-105 or Shop Online
Offering a wide selection of LGBTQIA+ and womxn authors, this indie bookshop is a great place to support queer Black culture (and a queer-owned local business) while broadening your mind with a new book! Browse their shelves of DIY and local zines as well as queer and feminist classics, and don’t be afraid to ask the super-helpful staff for a recommendation.
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Photo via Facebook
Support Queer Black Art at The Little Gay Shop
1902 E 12th St or Shop Online
This month and always, The Little Gay Shop is featuring a collection of queer black art prominently on their website. Browse gorgeous art prints, tote bags, and zines that celebrate QPOC culture and support this fabulous little shop!
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Photo via Instagram
Follow Austin Black Pride on Social Media
Instagram, Facebook
Austin Black Pride is a local nonprofit founded with queer people of color in mind. Their mission is to “create multicultural opportunities that educate, celebrate, and empower LGBTQ individuals of color” in Austin. Give them a follow to stay abreast of the organization’s efforts in the community and get some more QPOC content in your feed.
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Photo via facebook
Shop Colorful Textiles from Tawa Threads
Shop Online
Tawa Threads is a local studio that produces vibrantly patterned screen and block printed textiles that make fabulous scarves, wall hangings, and more. Spice up your accessories or your home office with a piece from Tawa Threads and support a business that seeks to elevate BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities while you’re at it.
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