Black LGBT Celebrities: 11 Living Legends (PHOTOS)

During Black History Month in the U.S., we dedicate the month of February to reviewing, dissecting, and analyzing African-American history. From slavery to the Civil Rights Movement to today's African-American experience, we make a concerted effort to understand how those who came before us impact our day-to-day lives.

For those of us who claim both the African-American community and the LGBT community, it can seem that precious little of Black History Month embraces our unique experience. Black, LGBT icons like Bayard Rustin, Audre Lorde, James Baldwin, and others are often either overlooked entirely or stripped of their sexuality when they're included in the canon of mainstream African-American history. Similarly, when today's leaders in the African-American community are acknowledged, the LGBT community is rarely represented.

Novelist Chimamanda Adichie speaks eloquently about the danger of failing to tell a community's stories fully. When we limit ourselves to a single story about any group of people, we risk critical misunderstandings. The African-American community is a tapestry of richly varied stories -- many of which incorporate the experiences of LGBT people. The LGBT community in turn is made richer by the complexity of the African-American experience.

We all benefit when we fully -- and proudly -- tell the stories of those in both communities who are leading the way for us all. In that spirit, I offer this brief look at 11 living, LGBT, African-American icons who have enriched our world. Do you have your own names to add to this list? Be sure to add them in the comments below.

For more from Farah, visit her website.

 

 

 

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Comments

[sincerelyty]

09:09 PM on 02/22/2012

I love L.Z! I had no idea Alice Walker and Angela Davis were lesbians.

[myvoyyce]

09:14 PM on 02/21/2012

I see gays are still trying their best to indoctrinate Blacks into supporting homosexuals,well not I.

Live you life as you choose but don't even think Blacks owe some sort of special allegiance to gays choosing to live the gay lifestyle.

[LONDON3]

08:54 AM on 02/21/2012

Bravo to ALL!

Pariah was an EXCELLENT film, just saw it this past wknd in Atl, and I could definitely relate from my own younger experiences :-)
Please bring more QUALITY black gay films like Pariah to the big independent markets !!!

[sayingsomething]

02:48 AM on 02/21/2012

YES! We should celebrate our black brothers and sister who are LBGT. However, we must celebrate them because they are BLACK and not because of his or her "sexuality". We celebrate other blacks because of his or her accomplishments etc. but NOT his or her "sexuality"... whether they are heterosexual or LBGT.

[sayingsomething]

02:44 AM on 02/21/2012

The humankind is blessed with much intellect. However, the heart is deceitfully wicked and the mind is capable of much craftiness. It is very presumptuous and bold to impose a lifestyle choice on an entire race and push and celebrate "LGBT" agenda under the disguise of "Black History." Why take a month dedicated for "Black History" and use it to perpetuate "LGBT" agenda? The month is NOT about ones SEXUAL orientation but about celebrating "BLACK HISTORY." Should we celebrate all blacks who have a "high sex drive" and therefore have chosen to have multiple partners or to practice polygamy? Black History month isn't about being black AND LGBT. It's about being BLACK. You're trying to get it how you can.... wear them down... keep it in their face .... and over time we may have LGBT month and Polygamy month and Pedophilia month. It's cool to be LGBT, but it's NOT cool to PUSH the agenda in this way.

[Pho3n1xSun]

08:36 AM on 02/21/2012

you're right that LGBT shouldn't be an issue. but you were losing me with he polygamy and pedophilia

[sayingsomething]

02:43 AM on 02/21/2012

The humankind is blessed with much intellect. However, the heart is deceitfully wicked and the mind is capable of much craftiness. It is very presumptuous and bold to impose a lifestyle choice on an entire race and push and celebrate "LGBT" agenda under the disguise of "Black History." Why take a month dedicated for "Black History" and use it to perpetuate "LGBT" agenda? The month is NOT about ones SEXUAL orientation but about celebrating "BLACK HISTORY." Should we celebrate all blacks who have a "high sex drive" and therefore have chosen to have multiple partners or to practice polygamy? OR, what about those who for whatever reason, have what he/she feels is an innate sexual desire and preference for small Shetland ponies? Whatever people want to do and whoever they want to do it with is his/her perogative. However, PLEASE stop trying to stuff down others throat and put it in the worlds face as "BLACK HISTORY." Being LGBT should NOT be the issue. You don't see the label "HETERO SEXUAL" to identify other black who are being celebrated. If they are married....then they are married. It doesn't matter if they share that it's Raymond and Rene or Linda and Lucy as the married couple. Black History month isn't about being black AND LGBT. It's about being BLACK.

[Pho3n1xSun]

10:59 PM on 02/20/2012

I needed something like this to show me good things about being black and gay. this article, although short a few notable men and women, has done just that

[room2talk]

09:10 AM on 02/21/2012

You don't need this. Just read history or her-story. It mentions very cleary if a person is gay or straight. I just heard something recently. A documentary. 1930's person. I will find and post. Their preference was mentioned which was gay. I said to myself oh, that's okay. I moved on and enjoyed the show. The author has the wrong perspective. We need new history books in schools. Not announcements.

[Pho3n1xSun]

11:45 AM on 02/21/2012

i would very much like that. please post it asap

[Mistinguette Grandison]

09:38 PM on 02/20/2012

To bad for Bayard Rustin: MLK right hand man who played an important role in major events in the Civil rights movement such as the Bus Boycott and the March on Washington. He was black AND gay.

[JohnnyAce Okeke]

04:30 AM on 02/21/2012

He may be YOUR leader but he sure wasn't any of ours. You can keep him. {{-_-}}

[room2talk]

11:27 AM on 02/21/2012

There was a large group of gay people who contributed to the Civil Rights movement; White people, and women, and Jews and Catholics, and Hippies, as well.

[Pho3n1xSun]

10:40 PM on 02/20/2012

too bad. I'm black and gay, and I am proud of who I am. if this bothers you, then you have a problem with yourself. not me

[JohnnyAce Okeke]

12:27 AM on 02/21/2012

Like I said, you don't belong in the Black community. Go join your gay friends. {{-_-}}

[BiggpussJr]

03:33 PM on 02/20/2012

Please define "Celebrity"? I thought that it meant:is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media. The term is synonymous with wealth (commonly denoted as a person with fame and fortune), implied with great popular appeal, prominence in a particular field, and is easily recognized by the general public.

Most in the article are NOT this.

[JohnnyAce Okeke]

03:32 PM on 02/20/2012

I don't see these people are Black gays. I just see them as gay. {{-_-}}

[Mistinguette Grandison]

09:39 PM on 02/20/2012

You sound ignorant. You don't see Alice Walker as black? Lee Daniels, who wrote Precious?

[JohnnyAce Okeke]

04:32 AM on 02/21/2012

Nope. Neither of them. You can have them both. {{-_-}}

[Mistinguette Grandison]

10:54 PM on 03/10/2012

So Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes, Rock and Roll Musician Little Richard, Mathematician Benjamin Banaker, Jazz Singer Bessie Smith, abolitionist Harriet Tubman.....aka very famous people in black history are suddenly white people now, b/c they are happened to be gay/bi? I'm sure the kkk is going to be really happy about that. We lost a lot of important black people in history because they had "gay cooties"

[Joseph Lee]

03:09 PM on 02/20/2012

How many of these LGBT idols came out after they were already known or accomplished something in their various line of work? I applaud then for coming out but it's a lot more difficult when you are never in the closet! Can you find a list of those brave people?

[SoulKirk]

05:12 PM on 04/09/2012

AMEN! Tell the TRUTH, Joseph. Couldn't agree with you more.

[LaQuita Emerson]

09:43 AM on 02/20/2012

I love Wanda Sykes. My 70 year old mother loves Wanda Sykes.

[iyalode5]

01:10 AM on 02/20/2012

Another great piece that makes a case for peace between the gay and African American communities. It should also be posted in Black Voices, otherwise it's preaching to the choir.

[Pho3n1xSun]

10:56 PM on 02/20/2012

agreed

[DeloresT]

11:45 PM on 02/19/2012

Alice Walker is gay? Since when? I thought that she was still married.

[LeftRightCenter]

08:32 PM on 02/19/2012

wow, could don lemon look any younger? i refuse 2 believe that he's in his forties........say what!