Pride month might be over, but we should really be learning about queer and trans visionaries year-round. The GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco is a treasure trove of information in this regard, and since we can’t currently browse their archives in person, they’re hosting regular events online.
One of those is a panel called The Evolution of Black LGBTQ Leadership. It highlights how the movement for Black lives and the gay liberation movement have historically been intertwined. For instance, Marsha P. Johnson and Miss Major Griffin Gracy, two trans women who rioted against police brutality at Stonewall in 1969, spent their lives fighting for Black trans women and sex workers.
Here’s Miss Major in a 2015 interview with the Trans Oral History Project.
The work of Miss Major, Marsha P. Johnson, author James Baldwin, civil rights activist Bayard Rustin and countless others continues to influence today’s movements for equality. The Evolution of Black LGBTQ Leadership offers a chance to learn about these legacies, and speakers include activists, artists, educators and policy strategists Kylar W. Broadus, Krü Maekdu, Preston Mitchum, Crystal Mason, Imani Rupert-Gordon and moderator Bryce J. Celotto. The event takes place on July 22 at 6pm. Details here.
