Skip to main content Smithsonian Institution

Catalog Data

Published by:
Alan Bell, American  Search this
Edited by:
Alan Bell, American  Search this
Subject of:
Lavender Light, American, founded 1985  Search this
AIDS Project East Bay, American, founded 1983  Search this
Larry Saxxon, American  Search this
Cleo Manago, American, born 1963  Search this
Minority AIDS Project, American, founded 1985  Search this
Rev. Carl Bean, American, 1944 - 2021  Search this
Phill Wilson, American, born 1956  Search this
National Association of Black and White Men Together, American, founded 1980  Search this
George Augustus Stallings Jr., American, born 1948  Search this
Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum, American, 1988 - 2003  Search this
Danitra Vance, American, 1954 - 1994  Search this
Keith St. John, American, born 1957  Search this
Barbara Smith, American, born 1946  Search this
Assotto Saint, Haitian American, 1957 - 1994  Search this
African-American Lesbian and Gay Alliance, American, founded 1986  Search this
Ayofemi Stowe Folayan, American, born 1950  Search this
Patrick Kelly, American, 1954 - 1990  Search this
Alvin Ailey, American, 1931 - 1989  Search this
Audre Lorde, American, 1934 - 1992  Search this
Ice-T, American, born 1962  Search this
Essence Magazine, American, founded 1970  Search this
Living Colour, American, founded 1984  Search this
Medium:
ink on paper (fiber product)
Dimensions:
H x W x D: 10 13/16 × 8 1/4 × 1/8 in. (27.4 × 20.9 × 0.3 cm)
Type:
magazines (periodicals)
Place made:
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States, North and Central America
Place depicted:
New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Oakland, Alameda County, California, United States, North and Central America
San Francisco, San Francisco county, California, United States, North and Central America
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America
Paris, Île-de-France, France, Europe
Date:
February 1990
Description:
This is the 15th issue of BLK magazine, published February 1990. The front cover features a black and white image of Chas. Bennett Brack, co-founder of Lavender Light. Photographed from the chest up, Brack is pictured leaning against a wall while wearing a flat bill hat and long sleeve shirt. At the top and off centered to the left, [BLK] is printed in large, bold, white, uppercase letters within a blue rectangular textbox with [Num] just visible along the bottom. The letters are largely obscured by the image of Brack. There are 44 pages in total, with articles, advertisements, classifieds, black and white photographs, and cartoon illustrations throughout.
The inside cover features an ad for the Minority AIDS Project announcing their program [Say Sister: / A Woman’s / Program]. The content opens with the section entitled [WORD UP] with five short articles: [Ice-T Says Okay to Poof Bashing] where Ice-T tells his Australian audience he approves of violent hate crimes against gay men, [Three Silly Millimeters] about different sized condoms sent to different countries, [People Gotta Hate Someone] where Judy Dlugacz of Olivia Records says the music industry looks down on racism and anti-Semitism but not homophobia, [Essence Lessens] about the November 1989 issue covering the range of experiences of black men but did not include black gay men, lacking the intersectionality as covered by Robert Santiago’s “Black and Latino” in the same issue, and [Real Reid] about Living Colour denouncing Guns N’ Roses for their racist and homophobic song.
This is followed by four letters to the editor in the section [BLK MAIL] and the BLK masthead on page 5.
The cover story, which begins on page 7, is titled [Lavender Light / Gospel choir gives ’em that old-time religion / plus on-time AIDS info] with a label headline [COVER STORY]. Written by Mark Chestnut, the article covers the history, purpose, and growth of “the Black and People of All Colors Lesbian and Gay Gospel Choir.” The founders say the choir grew out of the Men of All Colors Together / New York chapter. There is a black and white photograph and two quotes in a larger font: [“The church is one of the only places where you can be the biggest sissy that ever hit the face of the earth, as long as you don’t say, “I’m gay.’”], and [“We’re not attached to a church because that’s where most of the members ran from in the beginning.”].
A feature story, which begins on page 11, is titled [Where We Stand / The state of black lesbian and gay America at the dawn of the decade]. Written by James Stokes, the article is about the political state of the U.S., homophobia in African American community, and relationships with other marginalized groups.
A second feature story on page 13 is titled [Looking for Love / A feminine perspective on how we enter into / and sustain intimate relationships] by Rev. E. Victoria Lee. The article is about healthy relationships beginning with self-fulfillment.
A third feature store, which begins on page 17, is titled [Brouhaha by the Bay / APEB workers and management trade charges in clash / over professionalism and agency mission] with a label headline [NEWS ANALYSIS]. Written by L. Lloyd Jordan, this article covers the change in management at the AIDS Project of the East Bay after the departure of Larry Saxxon and under the new director, Cleo Manago.
Several shorter articles appear under the [BLK COMMUNITY NEWS] beginning on page 23. These include: [Manager Goes; Owner Dumps Objectionable Items / by Keith Clark], [Stalling Moves Imani] about Rev. George Augustus Stallings Jr. moving the Imani Temple African American Catholic Congregation to a center, [Black Gay Conference, Health Institute to Open] about the Third Annual National Black Gay and Lesbian Conference and Health Institute with 26 education workshops about AIDS, women, and substance abuse, [Lorde Wins $20K Grant Despite Funding Curbs], and [Fashion Designer Pat Kelly Dies on New Year’s / by Mark Haile].
The gossip column [Read My Lips] by Preston G. Guider appears on page 33. [BLK LIST], a listing of gay and lesbian organizations, bars, and baths, runs from pages 35 to 37 and covers internationally and nationally, with the latter divvied up by region. Entities are assigned one to four stars based on how black they are, with one star meaning “Somewhat black” and four stars “All black.” The bottom of page 37 has text announcing the next BLK issue will hold an interview with Cleo Manago. The issue concludes with the classifieds section [BLK MARKET] starting on page 38, with personal ads divided by international, then U.S. regions.
The back cover is a full-page advertisement for [JEWEL’S / Catch One / Mardi Gras].
There are advertisements throughout, including: [the BFP TEE]; [PRO-CHOICE ACTIVISTS NEEDED] with the Clinic Defense Hotline; [TOWN HALL MEETING / Californian 2000 / Health Insurance For All]; [OUT/LOOK / National Lesbian Quarterly / OUT / WRITE / 90] about the First National Lesbian and Gay Writers Conference; [FOR BLACK GAY & / BISEXUAL MEN ONLY!] from the African American Men’s Health Project; [A Pirate’s Tale / THE BUCCANEER] about a novel by M.S. Hunter; [AIDS Project Los Angeles] with a list of services; [The Gay Fireside Companion / by Leigh Rutledge]; [A DIFFERENT LIGHT / Gay and Lesbian Literature]; [The Next Safer Sex Facilitator Training Session / For The / AIDS Prevention Team] accompanied by stats of Black gay men who have contracted AIDS; [BGM: FOUR / JIBARO / FROM THE BLACKLIGHT PRESS]; [976-CAMP]; [970-WOLF]; [WE CARE ABOUT THE GAY & LESBIAN COMMUNITY / VISITING NURSE HOME SERVICES]; [WORLD / AFRICAN / ART FESTIVAL & / CULTURAL / CONVENTION]; a personal trainer named Roland looking for clients; [Black and White Men Together]; [PARTY AT TRAXX]; [ACCESS / The Center / The Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center] counseling services; [Unity Fellowship Church / A Church For All People]; [THIRD ANNUAL NATIONAL BLACK GAY AND LESBIAN / CONFERENCE & HEALTH INSTITUTE / Celebrating Our History, / Creating Our Future]; sponsored by Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum and hosted by African American Lesbian and Gay Alliance in Atlanta, GA; [MIDTOWNE SPA]; [The Pleasure Chest Ltd.]; [The / Gay / Fetish / Times / & Video / Review]; [BE A PART OF THE / OLDEST AND LARGEST / GAY & LESBIAN COMMUNITY / SERVICES CENTER!] the Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center seeking to fill an open position; [CHOCOLATE JOY PRODUCTIONS]; and [TALK LIVE!].
Topic:
African American  Search this
Activism  Search this
Associations and institutions  Search this
Black Press  Search this
Catholicism  Search this
Christianity  Search this
Communities  Search this
Gender  Search this
Gospel (Music)  Search this
Health  Search this
Identity  Search this
International affairs  Search this
LGBTQ  Search this
Mass media  Search this
Men  Search this
Race relations  Search this
Religion  Search this
Sexuality  Search this
Spirituality  Search this
U.S. History, 1969-2001  Search this
Women  Search this
Credit Line:
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Alan Bell
Object number:
2018.108.15
Restrictions & Rights:
© BLK Publishing Company, Inc
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
See more items in:
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification:
Documents and Published Materials-Published Works
Movement:
HIV/AIDS Activist Movement
Data Source:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5ae928a8b-0202-4a36-b9f5-ba1cce9baa6d
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmaahc_2018.108.15