A color digital image of the audience at the House of Latex Ball held at the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan in August 2007.

LGBTQ+ Objects in the NMAAHC Collection

African Americans who are part of LGBTQ+ history have made enormous achievements and contributions to global history and culture. From literature and the performing arts to religion, politics, and activism, members of Black gay communities have changed the way the world thinks about democracy and what it means to be an American. 

The LGBTQ+ objects and archival collections at the National Museum of African American History and Culture focus on the familiar, untold, and unknown stories that have shaped the nation’s past. With the goal of promoting greater understanding of LGBTQ+ identities and contributions, the National Museum of African American History and Culture is exploring new ways of helping visitors reinterpret artifacts and the lives of people who have changed the course of history.  

Dedicated to being a resource for dialog and shared knowledge, the Museum collects, preserves, and provides access to objects that reveal the significant histories of LGBTQ+ communities. We’ve created this online portal to give greater access to stories we want to share with the world.

Welcome to the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s LGBTQ+ collection online.

A poster for the experimental video Tongues Untied by Marlon Riggs. The poster features a large black and white photograph of Marlon Riggs (left) and Essex Hemphill (right).

Poster for Tongues Untied, 1989. 

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Jack Vincent in memory of Marlon Riggs, © Signifyin' Works

SEARCHING ONLINE RECORDS

A color poster on glossy paper advertising the AIDS Memorial Quilt event.

Poster advertising the AIDS Memorial Quilt events, 1996. Created by The NAMES Project Foundation. 

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Jack Vincent in memory of Marlon Riggs
LGBTQ+ COMMUNITIES AND HISTORIES

Explore objects relating directly to LGBTQ+ communities and histories including their influence on politics and the reverberations of the AIDS Epidemic. Or discover objects tied to historical communities of support like the Harlem Renaissance or more contemporary spaces like drag balls.

ACTIVISM

Discover objects tied to LGBTQ+ activism from Stonewall and early Gay Pride celebrations, to the social justice uprisings of 2020. In the last century, the fight for gender equality and identity rights have played a part in various social and cultural movements, such as the Women’s Club Movement and Black Lives Matter.

Amy Sherald Queenie Painting

Amy Sherald
Grand Dame Queenie, 2012

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, © Amy Sherald
GENDER, SEXUALITY, AND IDENTITY

Gender identities have always existed on a spectrum just as sexualities have always been fluid. At NMAAHC, our collection holds a variety of these differing experiences and their histories from those who identify as men or women as well as identities existing outside of that binary. You can scan the collection for diverse expressions of gender through literature, art, and photographs including those that resist societal gender norms and stereotypes or explore expressions of all identities across the collection.

COLLECTION HIGHLIGHT:
BLK Magazine

BLK magazine was founded in 1988 by African American journalist and graphic designer Alan Bell in his hometown of Los Angeles. The magazine grew out of the newsletter for Black Jack, a Los Angeles public gay club for Black men centered on safer sex parties and education amid the HIV/AIDS epidemic, also founded by Bell in 1986. The magazine title was inspired by other periodicals named after variations of black, such as Ebony, Onyx, and Sepia. No other publication directly used “Black,” and Bell wanted to change that, putting a twist with the abbreviation “BLK.” Though the magazine was meant to be pronounced “Black” it became common to refer to it as “B-L-K.” Bell developed BLK as “a Black magazine about gay people, not a gay magazine about Black people.”

In 2018, Alan Bell donated a collection of all 41 issues of BLK magazine that were published. Explore the full collection or learn more about the highlighted issues below. 

BLK Vol. 1 No. 2

The second issue of BLK, published in January 1989, honors disco singer Sylvester (1947–1988) a month after his death. Known for his androgynous style, Sylvester had a successful singing career that began in 1972 and toured through the United States and Europe. He remained active in San Francisco’s gay community until his death.

Gift of Alan Bell, © BLK Publishing Company, Inc.
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BLK Vol. 2 No. 1

In February 1989, Black business journal Black Enterprise announced the best places for Black people to work. BLK’s January 1990 issue goes one step further to identify the best places for Black gay and lesbian folks to work and discusses discrimination faced in the workplace. The cover image features from left to right: Jo Jo Lewis, Kathleen Pitts, and Hiawatha Johnson.

Gift of Alan Bell, © BLK Publishing Company, Inc.
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BLK Vol. 2 No. 7

The 20th issue of BLK features Nedra Johnson and Dionne Freeney at New York’s Gay Pride Rally in Union Square. This July 1990 issue features several articles around Gay Pride celebrations.

Gift of Alan Bell, © BLK Publishing Company, Inc.
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BLK Vol. 3 No. 7

The cover story for the July 1991 issue of BLK addresses the societal discrimination faced by the Black gay community suffering HIV/AIDS and the lack of resources and education to battle the pandemic.

Gift of Alan Bell, © BLK Publishing Company, Inc.
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BLK Vol. 4 No. 4

RuPaul Charles is interviewed by Jamoo for BLK’s December 1993 cover story following the success of his 1993 album "Supermodel of the World."

Gift of Alan Bell, © BLK Publishing Company, Inc.
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View the Collection

COLLECTION STORIES

A color photographic slide of activist Phil Wilson standing in front of a podium, speaking into a microphone.

Posing for LGBTQ+ History

The Ron Simmons Photography Collection contains several hundred color slides, most of which are related to American Politics, Literature, and LGBTQ+ activism. These photographs are an ever-present reminder of the valiant efforts of those who laid the foundation for LGBTQ+ liberation.
Read More
A collage of seven images.

The Harlem Renaissance in Black Queer History

The Harlem Renaissance, a literary and cultural flowering centered in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood that lasted from roughly the early 1920s through the mid-1930s, marked a turning point in African American culture. Black queer artists and intellectuals were among the most influential contributors to this cultural movement.
Read More

LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS

The NMAAHC collection holds objects relating to individuals and organizations representing diverse LGBTQ+ identities and communities. The list below contains a selection of such individuals from within our online collection. This list will continue to expand as we add more materials online. Click on a name to learn more about the person and explore related objects.

Self-portrait of Lola Flash in an orange prison jumpsuit and space helmet.
Lola Flash (b. 1959)
A copper and brass "Modern Cuff" bracelet by Art Smith.
Art Smith (1917–1982)
Bessie Smith
Bessie Smith (ca. 1895–1937)
A color photograph of Audre Lorde speaking at a podium.
Audre Lorde (1934–1992)
A black and white photo of a crowd of people at the Anacostia Park Community Day.
Sharon Farmer (b. 1951)
A portrait of an African American man wearing a mortarboard, glasses, and a moustache. Beneath, the ace of spades.
Whitfield Lovell (b. 1958)
Photograph of a man in a white shirt.
Marquise Vilsón (b. 1981)
Pauli Murray sitting at a typewriter by a desk crowded with papers.
Pauli Murray (1910–1985)
Cover of a playbill for Ain't Misbehavin
André De Shields (b. 1946)
Playbill featuring a graphic of a woman in front of a microphone with her arms stretched out to her sides.
Ma Rainey (1886–1939)
Soccer jersey
Briana Scurry (b. 1971)
Spacesuit costume worn by Nona Hendryx of Labelle
Nona Hendryx (b. 1944)
Ailvin Ailey facing forward with his arms crossed in front of him.
Alvin Ailey (1931–1989)
Langston Hughes sitting at a desk in front of a typewriter.
Langston Hughes (1901–1967)
a pinback button featuring an image of Barbara Jordan.
Barbara Jordan (1936–1996)
A black and white photograph of Duke Ellington with composer Billy Strayhorn and dancer Alfredo Gustar inside the Stanley Theatre in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Billy Strayhorn (1915–1967)
Green, black, and white cover of "Color" by Countee Cullen.
Countee Cullen (1903–1946)
Photograph of Jimmie Daniels
Jimmie Daniels (1907–1984)
A photograph of June Jordan sitting with her legs crossed.
June Jordan (1936–2002)
Sheet music for the song "Stormy Weather" from the production of the 22nd Edition of the Cotton Club Parade. The cover is red and features silhouettes of performers on the right side.
Ethel Waters (1896–1977)
A black-and-white photograph of Bayard Rustin and A. Philip Randolph standing in a crowd at the Selma March with an umbrella over their heads.
Bayard Rustin (1912–1987)
Playbill for A Raisin in the Sun. White background with yellow box at top; photograph below depicting a short-haired woman looking to the right.
Lorraine Hansberry (1930–1965)
n abstract oil painting done in colors of primarily yellow and orange-pink against an off-white background
Beauford Delaney (1901–1979)
A fitted floor-length dress with rainbow colored sequins and beading designed by Peter Davy.
Peter Davy (1940–1990)
A green book cover with the title "The New Negro"
Alain Locke (1885–1954)
A color photographic slide depicting several individuals standing at a New York Gay Pride Parade
Ron Simmons (1950–2020)
An image of Josephine Baker in costume with an advertisement for a performance.
Josephine Baker (1906–1975)
Mixed media painting of Craig Fletcher based on Leonardo da Vinci’s Saint John the Baptist.
Kehinde Wiley (b. 1977)
Collage of images and clippings relating to Alberta Hunter
Alberta Hunter (1895–1984)
A sequined suit jacket with shirt, tie, and pants.
Luther Vandross (1951–2005)
A silver gelatin print depicting a black-and-white image of Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday (1915–1959)
A color photographic slide featuring poet Essex Hemphill sitting in front of a chess board.
Essex Hemphill (1957–1995)
Color photograph of Alice Walker leaning against a wooden bin on the porch of a house.
Alice Walker (b. 1944)
A poster for the Marlon Riggs: 10 Years After events. The front of poster features a photograph of Riggs and information about events to celebrate the life and work of the filmmaker.
Marlon Riggs (1957–1994)
A colorful image of Angela davis.
Angela Davis (b.1944)
Cover for "Mississippi Goddam"
Nina Simone (1933–2003)
Image of a woman wearing a tuxedo and top hat.
Gladys Bentley (1907–1960)
Image of James Baldwin smoking a cigarette sitting at a typewriter.
James Baldwin (1924–1987)
Back of a basketball jersey worn by Jason Collins.
Jason Collins (b. 1978)
Cover of "Ravers" magazine with an image of a woman with her hands above her head.
Me’Shell Ndegeocello (b. 1968)
Johnny Mathis standing at a microphone.
Johnny Mathis (b. 1935)
Photograph of Janaya Khan speaking to a crowd during a BLM protest in Hollywood.
Janaya Khan (b. 1987)
Album cover features a color photograph of Moms Mabley sitting on stage holding a microphone in her proper right hand.
Moms Mabley (1897–1975)
Photograph of women marching with a sign that reads "Salsa soul sisters 3rd world women"
Salsa Soul Sisters (1974–1993)
page from an issue of BLK magazine
Gilberto “Gil” Gerald (b. 1950)

CATALOGING NOTES

The collecting, processing, and cataloging of LGBTQ+ objects is an ongoing process. This page will be updated as more objects are added to the online collection. Please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu with any corrections, additional information, or feedback.

Top image: Photographic slide of gay pride flag banner at a New York City Gay Pride March, 1980s. Photograph by Ron Simmons. Gift of Ron Simmons, © Ron Simmons. TA2019.38.1.1.1.4