Gay Black men rarely saw themselv on screen. Michael K. Williams changed that.

Contents:

• GAY BLACK MEN RARELY SAW THEMSELV ON SCREEN. MICHAEL K. WILLIAMS CHANGED THAT.
• EBANMAN EMPOWERS, ENLIGHTENS, AND ELEVAT BLACK GAY/QUEER MEN
• BLACK GAY MEN ARE STILL INVISIBLE
• INVISIBLE NO MORE: BLACK GAY MEN OVER 50 ARE FDG THE SILVER LG
• 5 BT GAY BLACK DATG S & APPS TO FD THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE

GAY BLACK MEN RARELY SAW THEMSELV ON SCREEN. MICHAEL K. WILLIAMS CHANGED THAT.

When two Black men love each other on screen, shows others what is possible, and shows that you n be who you are and still fd we want to take a look back at some of the Black gay upl that we've seen on TV who have spired viewers and changed media as we know . Unfortunately, the upl aren't as numero as they should be, but as more Black queer creativ get chanc to tell stori, we n only image what the future of Black gay reprentatn looks like. They've served as civil rights lears, revolutnary artists, labor anizers, scientists, policians, and tors, and their impact has touched every part of this still, many Black gay men are fotten, and erased om history, wh their acplishments beg washed away.

So we've put together this list of jt some of the important Black gay men who have changed Ameri and the World.

EBANMAN EMPOWERS, ENLIGHTENS, AND ELEVAT BLACK GAY/QUEER MEN

He fought for civil rights for Black Amerins, as well as labor rights and gay rights the '80s. Baldw is one of Ameri's greatt wrers, as well as a powerful activist the civil rights and gay rights movements. When he released his send novel, Gvanni's Room, 1956, s them of gay social and self-acceptance Black muni were somethg never talked about such a public way.

His wrg on Black gay and bisexual men has paved the way for queer wrers of all typ, and his mark on culture will never be and Rt were two of the only out gay men promently volved the Amerin civil rights movement.

He was arrted for "homosexual activi" 1928 and was stripped of his posn at The Crisis.

BLACK GAY MEN ARE STILL INVISIBLE

Acrdg to legend, Dupree was at a nightclub lled Footsteps when some gay Black men started throwg sha at each other. Wh the ballroom muny, Dupree walked as a "butch queen drags" which was generally unrstood to be a gay man wearg feme garments -- some might term this nonbary or genr nonnformg today.

While the Harlem Renaissance was filled wh Black gay wrers, Nugent was one of the few who was publicly out at the time. His outspoken pictns of homosexualy sometim ed him to fall out of favor wh other, more discreet ntemporari, but his wrg and art, cludg the short story "Smoke, Lili, and Ja, " on terracial male sire, have stood the tt of time.

Grav was a Black clergyman who served as the first print and -director of the Society for Human Rights (the former headquarters of which are pictured), the first regnized gay rights anizatn the Uned Stat.

INVISIBLE NO MORE: BLACK GAY MEN OVER 50 ARE FDG THE SILVER LG

The group released a newsletter and hoped to te the world on the negative treatment of homosexuals at the time.

The group only had seven members at 's foundg, and jt a year after s foundg, was shut down after the police arrted Grav, Gerber, and other members on false charg that they performed homosexual acts ont of one member's children. Glenn Burke wasn't only the first Major League Player to e out as gay durg his reer and publicly acknowledge his sexualy, he also vented the high five 1977.

Burke was among the first class of ducte to the Natnal Gay and Lbian Sports Hall of Fame. Williams, many of his queer Black admirers have been reflectg on the importance of his groundbreakg portrayals of gay Black men. ” After “The Wire, ” Williams went on to portray other gay characters, such as the Vietnam veteran Leonard Pe 2016’s “Hap and Leonard'; the HIV-posive activist Ken Jon “When We Rise” 2019; and, mostly recently, Montrose Freeman 2020’s “Lovecraft Country.

5 BT GAY BLACK DATG S & APPS TO FD THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE

Williams was that he was unaaid of playg Black gay men Hollywood, ” E Wilbek, former edor of Vibe magaze, told NBC News.

“Williams was a possibily mol for so many young, Black gay and queer kids to see themselv on screen played wh so much life, love and passn. Two of the mentors have a romantic history, and one of them unwtgly gets assigned to a boy who is gay, prentg somethg of a plex dynamic as the ruals ntue at a remote mp. Paris Is Burng highlights the importance of chosen fai, as well as creativy and muny borne amid stggl wh poverty, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and accs to health re.

Two Mlim, gay, and closeted teenagers New York's Bed-Stuy neighborhood have a secret love affair that gets swept up amidst the surveillance of mosqu. This 2014 film follows a gay high schooler raised Hattiburg, Mississippi, as he rencil his sexualy and Christian fah, as well as a plex fay dynamic. Jason Holliday is the tle subject of this 1967 documentary where the Black and gay baret performer, htler, and sex worker shar var tal om his life, eded down om a 12-hour terview.