Black History Month Celebration - RuPaul

Historical moments for black folks happen all the time.  So as we celebrate Black History month let's recognize there are important moments for us that we can celebrate from our contemporary heroes.  I love RuPaul so much that the mention of his name makes me smile.  So imagine my pride when I find out he is the first drag queen to make the cover of Vanity Fair.  And shortly thereafter I learn that he is the first drag queen to host Saturday Night Live.  RuPaul is proof that your destiny is what you make it.  Check out his SNL monologue below . . .

Black History Month Celebration - Pat Parker

It has often been said that if we do not know our history we doomed to repeat it. This of that as we wallow in the words by one of my favorite black queer poets . . . Ms Pat Parker.

    

Black History Month Celebration - Alain Locke

Considered the Father of the Harlem Renaissance, Alain Locke may be one of the most notable yet most often overlooked individuals there is.  You would think someone with enough of an influence to garner a title as lofty as the aforementioned, he should be an individual whose name appears in history books or who is remembers in Black History Month celebrations, but alas, Locke is not a common, household name, not even among black folks.

But those woke individuals smart enough to study the ancestors and wise enough to know on whose shoulders we stand, know the name Alain Locke and recognize him for his contributions to his Harlem community and for his work in shifting the narrative in the way Blacks were viewed during the era.

In the video below, Jeffrey Stewart, author of The New Negro: The Life of Alain Locke, talks about what he learned about this great man as he researched his topic and interviewed people that knew the man.

 

Black History Month Celebration - Marsha P. Johnson

As we continue to celebrate Black History Month, let's do it today with one of my favorite episodes of Drunk History. This is the almost accurate story of one badass black woman . . .

 

Black History Month Celebration - Alvin Ailey

Phenomenal dancer and choreographer, Alvin Ailey was born January 5, 1931 in Rogers, Texas. In 1943, Alvin Ailey and his mother moved to Los Angeles, where he nurtured his interest in dance. He became a member of Lester Horton's company in 1950, and when his mentor died in 1953, Ailey was chosen to take over as director and choreographer.

After training in New York City with Martha Graham and others, he founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958, which was a hugely popular, multi-racial modern dance ensemble. The company popularized modern dance around the world with some of the most recognizable choreography throughout history. 

With a dance troupe that is still popular today and that stills frequently sells out venues when traveling, the Alvin Ailey dance troupe is as relevent today as it was when it was founded which means the legacy of Ailey will live on forever.

Black History Month Celebration: James Baldwin

Can we take a moment to marvel in the brilliance that was and is James Baldwin . . .

Black History Month Celebration: Bayard Rustin

If we're talking about LGBT African-Americans that have are deeply rooted in the history of black folks and have significantly contributed to civil rights, then we start our discussion with Bayard Rustin. I think it is appropriate to pay homage to an individual whose contributions to the Civil Rights Movement paralleled those of Martin Luther King. Bayard Rustin is a name that unfortunately is not known in all households. However, if it were not for Rustin, the historic March on Washington that culminated with the King I Have a Dream speech would never have happened.

Bayard is the individual that taught King the principles of nonviolent protests and how to use civil disobedience as an effective demonstration tactic. Rustin was openly homosexual. His decision to live his life honestly did raise a few eyebrows with some leaders in the movement and some encouraged Martin to distance himself and the movement from Bayard. And thought Martin did temporarily buy into the
scare tactic, he did eventually realize that the movment would not be succesful without Bayard and his tremondous talent for organizing and mobilizing people into action.

It's important to realize the strength and character needed to remain true to yourself and still be effective in your influence in the face of people that despise you. Bayard was so good at rallying people together that other leaders in the movement saw his contributions to the cause not his homosexuality.

There is a wealth of resources if you would like to learn more about this remarkable individual. Please watch Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin. There are also several books that will help. They include Lost Prophet: The Life and Times of Bayard Rustin, Time on Two Crosses: The Collected Writings of Bayard Rustin, and Bayard Rustin: Troubles I've Seen.