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Honoring Legacy, Visibility, and Community
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Black history is American history, and Black LGBTQ+ history is an essential part of that story. During Black History Month, we honor the generations of Black LGBTQ+ leaders, artists, activists, and everyday community members whose courage and brilliance have shaped culture, advanced civil rights, and created spaces of belonging even in the face of discrimination and erasure. This page is a celebration of that legacy in full, not as a footnote, but as a vital and ongoing thread in the fight for dignity, visibility, and justice.
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Why Black LGBTQ+ History Matters
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Black LGBTQ+ people have always been here. They have always been organizing, creating, leading, and shaping the world around them, often without recognition or protection. Too often, history has separated Black identity and LGBTQ+ identity into different conversations, when in reality, these stories are deeply connected.
To honor Black LGBTQ+ history is to honor the full truth. It is to recognize the pioneers who moved civil rights forward, the artists who transformed culture, and the communities who built joy and resilience even in the hardest times. |
BLACK LGBTQ+ VOICES & FIGURES
MISS MAJOR GRIFFIn-GRACY
A Lifetime of Advocacy for Trans Women of Color
Miss Major Griffin-Gracy was a Black transgender activist, Stonewall uprising veteran, and one of the most influential advocates for trans women of color in the United States. For decades, she worked to support transgender people, especially those who are incarcerated, homeless, or living in poverty.
A Stonewall Veteran
Miss Major was present during the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York City, a turning point that sparked the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.At a time when transgender people faced extreme discrimination and criminalization, she became part of a generation that fought back against police harassment and demanded dignity and safety for LGBTQ+ people.
the history of pride
Fighting for Incarcerated Trans People
After years of experiencing homelessness, discrimination, and incarceration herself, Miss Major dedicated her life to helping others facing similar challenges.
She later became Executive Director of the Transgender Gender-Variant Intersex Justice Project, an organization focused on supporting incarcerated trans people and advocating for prison reform.
She later became Executive Director of the Transgender Gender-Variant Intersex Justice Project, an organization focused on supporting incarcerated trans people and advocating for prison reform.
Transgender Gender-Variant Intersex Justice Project
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The Transgender Gender-Variant & Intersex Justice Project is a nonprofit focused on ending human rights abuses against transgender, gender-variant, and intersex people, especially those impacted by incarceration. The organization provides legal support, re entry resources, and advocacy while building leadership and community among trans people both inside and outside of prisons and detention centers.
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Building Community and Support
Why Miss Major’s Story Matters Today
Trans women of color continue to face disproportionate violence, incarceration, and discrimination. Miss Major’s lifelong activism reminds us that the fight for equality must include the most marginalized members of our community.
MARSHA P. JOHNSON
A Legacy of Joy, Courage, and Community Care
Marsha P. Johnson was a Black transgender activist, drag performer, and community leader whose life helped shape the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. She is widely recognized as a key figure in the activism that followed the Stonewall uprising and as a fierce advocate for LGBTQ+ youth, people living with HIV/AIDS, and trans people of color.
Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Marsha moved to New York City with little money but a determination to live authentically. She became known for her flower crowns, warmth, humor, and generosity.
When asked what the “P” stood for, she famously answered: “Pay It No Mind.”
Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Marsha moved to New York City with little money but a determination to live authentically. She became known for her flower crowns, warmth, humor, and generosity.
When asked what the “P” stood for, she famously answered: “Pay It No Mind.”
Stonewall and the Birth of Modern Pride
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Marsha was present during the 1969 Stonewall uprising, a turning point that sparked the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.
After Stonewall, she became deeply involved in activism, joining the Gay Liberation Front and later ACT UP. Learn more from the Smithsonian: Marsha Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and the History of Pride Month While myths often claim she “threw the first brick,” historians emphasize that the uprising was a collective resistance by many LGBTQ+ people. |
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Building Support for LGBTQ+ Youth
In 1970, Marsha and fellow activist Sylvia Rivera co-founded STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries), one of the first organizations dedicated to supporting homeless transgender youth.
They provided housing, food, and safety long before society recognized the crisis facing queer youth.
Learn more from the National Women’s History Museum:
Marsha P. Johnson Biography
They provided housing, food, and safety long before society recognized the crisis facing queer youth.
Learn more from the National Women’s History Museum:
Marsha P. Johnson Biography
A Life of Activism and Care
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Marsha was also an active member of ACT UP and helped care for people living with HIV/AIDS during the epidemic.
Her activism extended beyond protest. she practiced radical kindness and mutual aid. PBS interview on her legacy: New biography documents life of Marsha P. Johnson |
Honored and Remembered
New York City announced a monument honoring Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, the first public artwork dedicated to transgender women.
Smithsonian coverage of the monument:
NYC Monument Honoring Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera
Today, parks, statues, documentaries, and books continue to celebrate her legacy and impact.
Smithsonian coverage of the monument:
NYC Monument Honoring Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera
Today, parks, statues, documentaries, and books continue to celebrate her legacy and impact.
ADDITIONAL LINKS:
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Magazine
National Museum of African American History & Culture
National Women’s History Museum
National Park Service / National Parks
PBS NewsHour
Britannica
Biography.com
New York Historical Society (Women & the American Story)
- https://www.si.edu/stories/marsha-johnson-sylvia-rivera-and-history-pride-month
- https://womenshistory.si.edu/blog/lgbtq-women-who-made-history
Smithsonian Magazine
National Museum of African American History & Culture
National Women’s History Museum
National Park Service / National Parks
- https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/making-a-democracy.htm
- https://www.npca.org/articles/2736-the-unsung-heroines-of-stonewall
PBS NewsHour
Britannica
Biography.com
New York Historical Society (Women & the American Story)
SYLVIA RIVERA
A Revolutionary Voice for Trans Rights and LGBTQ+ Liberation
Sylvia Rivera was not black, but we would be remiss not to recognize her and her contributions to Black LGBTQ+ history. She was a Venezuelan and Puerto Rican transgender activist whose life and work helped shape the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. A fierce advocate for transgender people, homeless LGBTQ+ youth, and people living in poverty, Sylvia fought tirelessly to ensure the most marginalized voices were never left behind.
She is remembered as one of the most powerful and outspoken activists to emerge from the early LGBTQ+ liberation movement.
https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/sylvia-rivera
She is remembered as one of the most powerful and outspoken activists to emerge from the early LGBTQ+ liberation movement.
https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/sylvia-rivera
From Survival to Activism
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Sylvia experienced homelessness as a child and teen in New York City. Those experiences shaped her lifelong commitment to protecting LGBTQ+ youth and people living on the margins.
By her late teens, she was already part of New York City’s drag and LGBTQ+ community, and by 1969, she became involved in the uprising that would change history. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sylvia-Rivera |
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Stonewall and the Fight That Followed
Sylvia Rivera was present during the 1969 Stonewall uprising, a turning point that sparked the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.
After Stonewall, Sylvia joined the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance, where she fought for LGBTQ+ rights at protests, marches, and demonstrations across New York City.
https://www.si.edu/stories/marsha-johnson-sylvia-rivera-and-history-pride-month
After Stonewall, Sylvia joined the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance, where she fought for LGBTQ+ rights at protests, marches, and demonstrations across New York City.
https://www.si.edu/stories/marsha-johnson-sylvia-rivera-and-history-pride-month
Co-Founder of STAR with Marsha P. Johnson
In 1970, Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson co-founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR).
STAR provided:
• Housing for homeless LGBTQ+ youth
• Food and clothing
• Emotional support and community
They created one of the first organizations in the U.S. dedicated to supporting transgender youth and young people experiencing homelessness.
https://wams.nyhistory.org/growth-and-turmoil/growing-tensions/sylvia-rivera/
STAR provided:
• Housing for homeless LGBTQ+ youth
• Food and clothing
• Emotional support and community
They created one of the first organizations in the U.S. dedicated to supporting transgender youth and young people experiencing homelessness.
https://wams.nyhistory.org/growth-and-turmoil/growing-tensions/sylvia-rivera/
Fighting for Inclusion in the LGBTQ+ Movement
As the LGBTQ+ rights movement became more mainstream, transgender people were often pushed aside. Sylvia refused to accept that.
In 1973, she gave a now-historic speech at the Christopher Street Liberation Day Rally, passionately demanding that transgender people be included in the fight for rights and protections.
https://makinggayhistory.org/podcast/sylvia-rivera/
In 1973, she gave a now-historic speech at the Christopher Street Liberation Day Rally, passionately demanding that transgender people be included in the fight for rights and protections.
https://makinggayhistory.org/podcast/sylvia-rivera/
Honoring Her Legacy
Sylvia Rivera continued advocating for trans rights throughout her life. Today, her legacy lives on through organizations, monuments, and ongoing activism.
New York City has announced a monument honoring Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson, the first public monument dedicated to transgender women.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-york-city-monument-will-honor-transgender-activists-marsha-p-johnson-and-sylvia-rivera-180972326/
New York City has announced a monument honoring Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson, the first public monument dedicated to transgender women.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-york-city-monument-will-honor-transgender-activists-marsha-p-johnson-and-sylvia-rivera-180972326/
Why Sylvia Rivera’s Story Matters Today
Sylvia spent her life fighting for the people most often left out of the conversation: transgender people, LGBTQ+ youth, and those living in poverty.
Her work reminds us that equality must include everyone, especially the most vulnerable in our communities.
Her work reminds us that equality must include everyone, especially the most vulnerable in our communities.
ADDITIONAL LINKS:
National Women’s History Museum
https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/sylvia-rivera
Britannica
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sylvia-Rivera
Making Gay History Podcast
https://makinggayhistory.org/podcast/sylvia-rivera/
New York Historical Society
https://wams.nyhistory.org/growth-and-turmoil/growing-tensions/sylvia-rivera/
Smithsonian / Pride History
https://www.si.edu/stories/marsha-johnson-sylvia-rivera-and-history-pride-month
https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/sylvia-rivera
Britannica
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sylvia-Rivera
Making Gay History Podcast
https://makinggayhistory.org/podcast/sylvia-rivera/
New York Historical Society
https://wams.nyhistory.org/growth-and-turmoil/growing-tensions/sylvia-rivera/
Smithsonian / Pride History
https://www.si.edu/stories/marsha-johnson-sylvia-rivera-and-history-pride-month
BAYARD RUSTIN
Bayard Rustin was one of the most important architects of the Civil Rights Movement, even though his name is still unfamiliar to many. A brilliant strategist and organizer, Rustin was a key advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the principal organizer behind the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Rustin’s legacy is especially powerful because of what he faced. As an openly gay Black man, he was often pushed out of public view despite his indispensable role. His story reminds us that Black LGBTQ+ history is deeply embedded in the foundation of American civil rights, even when it was deliberately erased.
Smithsonian feature on Rustin
https://nmaahc.si.edu/bayard-rustin
Smithsonian spotlight on the March on Washington and Rustin’s role
https://www.si.edu/spotlight/1963-march-on-washington
Smithsonian collection item from the March organizing materials
https://www.si.edu/object/march-washington-jobs-and-freedom-organizing-manual-no-1%3Anmaahc_2010.45.2
PBS documentary Brother Outsider (Rustin’s life and impact)
https://www.pbs.org/video/pov-brother-outsider/
Rustin’s legacy is especially powerful because of what he faced. As an openly gay Black man, he was often pushed out of public view despite his indispensable role. His story reminds us that Black LGBTQ+ history is deeply embedded in the foundation of American civil rights, even when it was deliberately erased.
Smithsonian feature on Rustin
https://nmaahc.si.edu/bayard-rustin
Smithsonian spotlight on the March on Washington and Rustin’s role
https://www.si.edu/spotlight/1963-march-on-washington
Smithsonian collection item from the March organizing materials
https://www.si.edu/object/march-washington-jobs-and-freedom-organizing-manual-no-1%3Anmaahc_2010.45.2
PBS documentary Brother Outsider (Rustin’s life and impact)
https://www.pbs.org/video/pov-brother-outsider/
JAMES BALDWIN
James Baldwin was one of the most influential writers, thinkers, and cultural critics in American history. His work confronted racism, identity, power, religion, sexuality, and what it means to belong in a country that often refuses to fully see its own people.
Baldwin’s voice remains urgent today because he refused to simplify the truth. His essays and novels gave language to experiences that were often unspoken, especially for Black LGBTQ+ people navigating both racial injustice and queer invisibility.
Library of Congress official Baldwin archive
https://www.loc.gov/item/n79076619/james-baldwin/
James Baldwin reading from his works (Library of Congress audio)
https://www.loc.gov/item/88752473/
New York Public Library James Baldwin audio collection
https://archives.nypl.org/scl/186643
Baldwin’s voice remains urgent today because he refused to simplify the truth. His essays and novels gave language to experiences that were often unspoken, especially for Black LGBTQ+ people navigating both racial injustice and queer invisibility.
Library of Congress official Baldwin archive
https://www.loc.gov/item/n79076619/james-baldwin/
James Baldwin reading from his works (Library of Congress audio)
https://www.loc.gov/item/88752473/
New York Public Library James Baldwin audio collection
https://archives.nypl.org/scl/186643
Audre lord
Audre Lorde described herself as a Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet and her writing changed the landscape of feminist and civil rights thought forever. Lorde’s work spoke directly to the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and justice with rare power and clarity.
Her poems and speeches were not just art, they were calls to action. Lorde reminded the world that silence does not protect us, and that difference is not something to erase, but something to honor.
Library of Congress authority page on Lorde
https://www.loc.gov/item/n79139595/audre-lorde/
Library of Congress blog: Finding Audre Lorde in the national archive
https://blogs.loc.gov/catbird/2015/11/rediscovering-the-warrior-poet-finding-audre-lorde-at-the-library-of-congress/
Audre Lorde reading her poems at the Library of Congress (1982 recording)
https://www.loc.gov/item/91740794/
Literary Treasures feature on that recording
https://blogs.loc.gov/catbird/2020/05/literary-treasures-audre-lorde-and-marge-piercy-1982/
Her poems and speeches were not just art, they were calls to action. Lorde reminded the world that silence does not protect us, and that difference is not something to erase, but something to honor.
Library of Congress authority page on Lorde
https://www.loc.gov/item/n79139595/audre-lorde/
Library of Congress blog: Finding Audre Lorde in the national archive
https://blogs.loc.gov/catbird/2015/11/rediscovering-the-warrior-poet-finding-audre-lorde-at-the-library-of-congress/
Audre Lorde reading her poems at the Library of Congress (1982 recording)
https://www.loc.gov/item/91740794/
Literary Treasures feature on that recording
https://blogs.loc.gov/catbird/2020/05/literary-treasures-audre-lorde-and-marge-piercy-1982/
Alvin Ailey
Alvin Ailey transformed American dance and created one of the most enduring cultural institutions in the world. In 1958, he founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater with a mission to uplift the African American experience through art and performance.
His work, especially the iconic Revelations, connected movement to memory, history, resilience, and spirit. Ailey’s legacy reminds us that Black LGBTQ+ history is also cultural history, built through beauty, community, and expression.
Alvin Ailey biography and founding mission
https://ailey.org/people/alvin-ailey
Ailey organization story and timeline
https://ailey.org/our-story
Explore the full AILEY history timeline
https://ailey.org/history
His work, especially the iconic Revelations, connected movement to memory, history, resilience, and spirit. Ailey’s legacy reminds us that Black LGBTQ+ history is also cultural history, built through beauty, community, and expression.
Alvin Ailey biography and founding mission
https://ailey.org/people/alvin-ailey
Ailey organization story and timeline
https://ailey.org/our-story
Explore the full AILEY history timeline
https://ailey.org/history
The Gay Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was not only a cultural explosion of Black art and literature, but also a time of vibrant queer life that shaped the era’s creative world.
The New-York Historical Society’s exhibition highlights this often overlooked history, showing how Black LGBTQ+ communities have always been part of America’s cultural foundation.
The Gay Harlem Renaissance exhibition
https://www.nyhistory.org/exhibitions/the-gay-harlem-renaissance
The New-York Historical Society’s exhibition highlights this often overlooked history, showing how Black LGBTQ+ communities have always been part of America’s cultural foundation.
The Gay Harlem Renaissance exhibition
https://www.nyhistory.org/exhibitions/the-gay-harlem-renaissance
Explore Black LGBTQ+ History From Home
These stories are preserved not only in LGBTQ+ spaces, but in America’s most respected museums, libraries, and archives. This Black History Month, we invite you to explore, learn, and honor the truth in full.
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History
https://nmaahc.si.edu/
Library of Congress Digital Collections
https://www.loc.gov/
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
https://www.nypl.org/locations/schomburg
PBS Documentaries and Civil Rights Features
https://www.pbs.org/
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History
https://nmaahc.si.edu/
Library of Congress Digital Collections
https://www.loc.gov/
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
https://www.nypl.org/locations/schomburg
PBS Documentaries and Civil Rights Features
https://www.pbs.org/
CHECK BACK THROUGHOUT FEBRUARY FOR MORE LGBTQ+ BLACK HISTORY
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The South Coast LGBTQ+ Network
A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization 2 Bank St. Fall River, MA 02721 (774) 775-2656 |
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