BLK Vol. 1 No. 5

Published by

Bell, Alan, American

Edited by

Bell, Alan, American

Subject of

Lorde, Audre, American, 1934 - 1992

Minority AIDS Project, American, founded 1985

National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays, American, 1978 - 1990

National Association of Black and White Men Together, American, founded 1980

Lesbian Agenda for Action, American, 1987 - 1991

Holden, Nate N., American, born 1929

Bradley, Tom, American, 1917 - 1998

Rangel, Charles, American, born 1930

Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum, American, 1988 - 2003

National LGBTQ Task Force, American, founded 1974

Rev. Bean, Carl, American, born 1944

AIDS Project East Bay, American, founded 1983

Saxxon, Larry, American

Gerald, Gilberto, American

Mapplethorpe, Robert, American, died 1989

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)

Classification

Documents and Published Materials-Published Works

Place made

Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States, North and Central America

Date

April 1989

Description

The fifth issue of BLK magazine, published April 1989. It is printed in black and white and the cover features a photograph of Audre Lorde. She dons a pair of rectangular spectacles which she looks over as she holds its left end piece with her left hand. She also wears what appears to be a dark-colored jacket and a pattered scarf. The magazine’s logo is printed at bottom center, with the letters [BLK] written in large, bold, uppercase white letters. A solid red rectangle, with a white border, surrounds the letters. Below BLK, the issue number and date [Number 5, April 1989] are also printed within the box. There are 30 pages in total, with articles, advertisements, classifieds, black and white photographs, and cartoon illustrations originally from Ebony Magazine with new captions written by BLK throughout.

There is an advertisement for [BEING ALIVE] FOR THE [PEOPLE WITH AIDS ACTION COALITION] on the other side of the front page, listing the services of the coalition. The issue opens with an event calendar titled [Blk Board] and a letters to the editor section titled [Blk Mail]. The issue continues with a profile on Audre Lorde titled [Oh, Lorde! Black student group hosts noted black lesbian feminist at UCLA]. The article is accompanied by the same image of Lorde found on the front cover of the issue. Other featured articles include: [The King and the Jester / Tom Bradley and Nate Holden vie for City Hall in Los Angeles] and [Black/White Photography / Robert Mapplethorpe, noted for photos of black men, dies of AIDS in Boston].

Pages 14 through 21 comprise the [Blk Community News] section and include headlines such as [Bean Steps Down as Minority AIDS Project Head to Pursue Church Duties; Board Selects Gil Gerald], [Tap Craig Harris for New York AIDS Post], [Statistics Paint Grim Picture for Future of AIDS Cases Among African Americans in California], [Ivy Young Picked to Head NGLTF’s Family Project], [N.J. Students Push for Black, Gay Demands], [S.F. Health Pol Calls Needle Ex ‘Genocide’], [BWMT/SF Hosts Meet], [AIDS Project East bay Becomes Independent Org], [D.C. Gets AIDS Clinic], [South Central AIDS Agencies Almost Defunded], [Harris Becomes First Female Episcopal Bishop], [Sullivan OK’s Needles; HHS Says Lose Fed $], [Gay PAC Seeks Black Applicants for Top Post], [Rangel Slams Sullivan on Needle Exchange], [2,2127 Die in Tanzania] and [S.F. Women Dance for Fall Racism Confab]. The section concludes with a note explaining that the monthly AIDS report is not featured in this month’s issue of BLK.

Following the news section is a gossip column by Preston G. Guider titled [Read My Lips]. The magazine concludes with the classifieds section, titled [Blk Market]. The inside back cover is a full page advertisement for Midtowne Spa and the back cover is a full page advertisement for Keith Medical Group, [HIV specialists within a family practice environment]. There are additional advertisements throughout the issue. These include: [National Gay Rights Advocate seeks DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS], [Erase bad credit.], [Feeling Overwhelmed by AIDS? / THE GAY AND LESBIAN COMMUNITY SERVICES CENTER], [Unity Fellowship Church / A Church For All People], [BLK / NEW OR RENEWAL SUBSCRIPTION], [976-CAMP], [970-WOLF].

Topic

Activism

Communities

Health

Identity

LGBTQ

Mass media

Sexuality

United States--History--1969-2001

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Alan Bell

Object number

2018.108.5

Restrictions & Rights

© BLK Publishing Company, Inc.

Photograph of Norma Merrick Sklarek and Mayor Tom Bradley

Photograph by

Unidentified

Subject of

Sklarek, Norma Merrick, American, 1926 - 2012

Bradley, Tom, American, 1917 - 1998

Unidentified Man or Men

Unidentified Woman or Women

Owned by

Sklarek, Norma Merrick, American, 1926 - 2012

Medium

dye and photographic gelatin on photographic paper

Dimensions

H x W: 4 × 6 in. (10.2 × 15.2 cm)

Type

chromogenic color prints

Classification

Media Arts-Photography

Archival Collections

Place depicted

Los Angeles, California, United States, North and Central America

Date

ca. 1984

Description

A color photograph of Norma Sklarek with Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley. Sklarek, Bradley, and an unidentified man are in the center of the image. There are unidentified people standing in the background. Sklarek, on the left side, is in profile and wearing a blue top with various patches. Bradley is in the center, facing toward Sklarek. He is wearing a suit, striped tie, and white pinback button reading [NOBODY SERVES REPUBLIC LIKE REPUBLIC EMPLOYEES]. An unidentified man wearing a LAX badge and a plaid shirt is looking at the camera. The reverse has a back print for [FUJICOLOR / PAPER].

Topic

Architecture

Photography

Politics (Practical)

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of David Merrick Fairweather and Yvonne Goff

Object number

TA2018.23.5.1.1.4

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

A Tale of Two Cities

Published by

MelPat Associates, American, 1965 - 1986

Created by

Patrick, C. Melvin, American, died 1985

Subject of

Vice President Rockefeller, Nelson Aldrich, American, 1908 - 1979

Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks of the World, American, founded 1898

Bryant, Joyce, American, born 1928

Lindsay, John V., American, 1921 - 2000

Jazzmobile, American, founded 1964

Weaver, Robert C., American, 1907 - 1997

Motley, Constance Baker, American, 1921 - 2005

Jones, J. Raymond, American, 1899 - 1991

Booth, William H., American, 1922 - 2006

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, American, founded 1913

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, American, founded 1920

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., American, founded 1906

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, founded 1908

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, American, founded 1914

National Urban League, American, founded 1910

Order of the Eastern Star, American, founded 1850

Shriners International, American, founded 1870

Morehouse College, American, founded 1867

The Afro-American, American, founded 1892

New York Giants, American, founded 1925

Cosby, Bill, American, born 1937

Ashe, Arthur Jr., American, 1943 - 1993

Bradley, Tom, American, 1917 - 1998

Medium

ink on paper

Dimensions

H x W x D: 12 × 1 × 3/16 in. (30.5 × 2.5 × 0.5 cm)

Type

magazines (periodicals)

Classification

Documents and Published Materials-Published Works

Place made

Harlem, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Place depicted

Martha's Vineyard, Oak Bluffs, Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America

Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States, North and Central America

Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America

Date

1966

Description

A promotional publication titled [A Tale of Two Cities] published by MelPat Associates. The cover of the magazine is white. At the top of the front cover is the Seal of New York City. At the bottom of the front cover is the seal of the city of Los Angeles. In the center is a black strip with pink text reading [A Tale of Two Cities]. The magazine contains promotional content about the cities of New York and Los Angeles as well as profiles of prominent people within the African American community including black and white photographs.

The magazine’s content begins with a page of several photographs of African American community leaders with New York state Governor Nelson Rockefeller, including Jackie Robinson, the IBPOE of W and singer Joyce Bryant. Also on this page is the text [all photos by Bert Smith]. The publication continues with a story about New York mayor John Lindsey and profiles of Robert C. Weaver, Constance Baker Motley, New York County Democratic Leader J. Raymond Jones, and Chairman of New York City’s Commission on Human Rights, William H. Booth. There’s a schedule of performances for Jazzmobile taking place around the city.

Throughout are portraits, profiles, and short articles about business organizations such as the National Distillers, the National Association of Market Developers, and the National Dental Association as well as fraternity and sorority events for Delta Sigma Theta, Zeta Phi Beta, and Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Kappa Alpha, and Phi Beta Sigma, and articles on events such as the National Conference of the Urban League, International Conference of Grand Chapters of the Order of the Eastern Star, and the Convention of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.

There are also profiles on Lincoln Center, Morehouse College; the Afro-American Newspaper; appointments of African Americans to the administration of President Johnson; the Democratic Party; debutant balls; weddings; the New York Giants; Oak Bluffs in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts; the city of Springfield, Massachusetts; Bill Cosby and other entertainment stars; the Mount Morris Park area of Harlem; Arthur Ashe; Los Angeles city council member Thomas Bradley; and notable African American business leaders, labor leaders, community leaders, political leaders, doctors, nurses, artists, and activists from across the United States.

There are approximately 89 pages, with black and white photographs and advertisements, and several color advertisements. The back cover has an advertisement for Black & White scotch.

Topic

Associations and institutions

Business

Communities

Fraternities

Government

HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)

Journalism

Labor

Mass media

Men

Political organizations

Politics (Practical)

Professional organizations

Religious groups

Social life and customs

Societies

Sororities

United States--History--1961-1969

Urban life

Women

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Anne B. Patrick and the family of Hilda E. Stokely

Object number

2012.167.2

Restrictions & Rights

Public domain