Published by
Bell, Alan, American
Edited by
Bell, Alan, American
Subject of
Metoyer, Lauren
Whittington, Yolanda
National Association of Black and White Men Together, American, founded 1980
Minority AIDS Project, American, founded 1985
Gerald, Gilberto, Panamanian American, born 1950
Ku Klux Klan, 3rd, American, founded 1946
Rev. Bean, Carl, American, 1944 - 2021
Holmes Norton, Eleanor, American, born 1937
Southern Christian Leadership Conference, American, founded 1957
National Conference of Black Mayors, American, founded 1974
National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays, American, 1978 - 1990
Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum, American, 1988 - 2003
African-American Lesbian and Gay Alliance, American, founded 1986
Dr. Hill, Marjorie, American
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, American, founded 1909
Sojourner, Sabrina, American, born 1952
King, Martin Luther III, American, born 1957
Wilson, Phill, American, born 1956
Mayor Barry, Marion Shepilov Jr., American, 1936 - 2014
African National Congress, South African, founded 1912
Nkoli, Simon, South African, 1957 - 1998
Gay and Lesbian Organization of Witwatersrand, South African, 1988 - 1997
National LGBTQ Task Force, American, founded 1974
GMHC, American, founded 1981
Lorde, Audre, American, 1934 - 1992
Smith, Barbara, American, born 1946
AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power, American, founded 1987
Houston, Whitney, American, 1963 - 2012
Date
November 1990
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)
Description
This is the 24th issue of BLK Magazine published November 1990. The front cover, printed with an orange tint, features a black and white image of Lauren Metoyer (left) and Yolanda Whittington (right) riding a Jeep with the windows and cover down. On the side of the vehicle are two bumper stickers with a white background and black text reading [FREE SOUTH AFRICA]. At the top and centered off to the left, [BLK] is printed in bold, white, uppercase letters within an orange rectangular box. The K is partially obscured by the image of Whittington. Above the text box in black, uppercase, small letters it reads [THE NATIONAL BLACK LESBIAN AND GAY NEWSMAGAZINE], fitting perfectly across the length of the textbox. Directly to the right of the [BLK] text box in black, small text it reads [Vol. 2, No. 11 / Whole No. 24 / November 1990]. At the bottom is orange text announcing the contents of the issue: [NEWS / CARTOONS / WORD UP / READ MY LIPS / CLASSIFIEDS]. There are 36 numbered pages, with articles, advertisements, classifieds, black and white photographs, and cartoon illustrations throughout.
The inside of the cover features an ad for the Minority AIDS Project’s free, anonymous, AIDS antibody test [WHAT’S WORSE… / 20 MINUTES OF FEAR AND WORRYING OR… / A LIFETIME OF FEAR AND WORRYING? CONSIDER GETTING THE AIDS ANTIBODY TESTED TODAY.]. The content opens with the section titled [Word Up / News of the Outrageous, the Amusing, the Pathetic and the Unexpected] by Leon Miller with four short articles: [Whitney Houston Denies It Again] about Whitney Huston addressing her sexuality, [Magazine Crosses the Line] regarding the Dartmouth review, [Quotes] quotes said by of Sen. Jesse Helms, Rep. William Dannemeyer, and Ayatollah Khoneini, and [Human nature] about Dayton Mayor Richard Dixon.
This is followed by the [BLK] mast head on page 4. One the following page is four letters to the editor in the section [BLK MAIL].
The cover story, which begins on page 9, is titled [The Road to Michigan / or, how to have a good time even when / there are too few women of color] with the label headline [COVER STORY]. Lynelle Johnson writes about her experience attending the Michigan Women’s Music Festival. She addresses how the majority of the attendees are white women, though understands the economic obstacles women of color may face to attend.
Several shorter articles appear under [BLK NEWS] beginning on page 10, with the section banner being in orange. These articles include: [2 Weeks of Race-Based TV Ads Doom Harvey Gantt] about Sen. Jesse A. Helm’s campaign strategy against Harvey Gantt, [Alliance Announces New Directors, Chairpersons] about the African-American Gay and Lesbian Cultural Alliance, founded by Warren Sims and Fred Watson along with a photograph of the eight officers and board of the directors, [Panel Nixes Health Alarm] about the Alameda County AIDS Advisory Board, directed by Dr. Carl Smith, declining to facilitate needle exchange programs, [‘Mr. Rogers’ Sues KKK Over Racist, Antigay Imitation] the article is accompanied with text of the Klan’s imitation of the PBS show created by the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, [District Health Agency Stops Safer Sex Meeting] the District of Columbia Department of Health AIDS Activities has stopped the safer sex workshops presented by the Inner City AIDS Network and Black and White Men Together, [Problems May Cause Minority AIDS Project to Close / by Mark Haile] regarding the nation’s oldest AIDS organization in the Black community, [Bar Opens in Washington] about Encore being D.C.’s first Black-owned gay bar, opened by Raymond Carter, [Black Leaders Meet to Discuss Lesbian, Gay Issues] with representatives from the African American Lesbian and Gay Alliance, Black Gay and Lesbian Alliance for Dignity, Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum, Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center, King Center, Mayor Office for Lesbian and Gay Concerns, National Association of Black and White Men Together / Men of All Colors, National Coalitions of Black Lesbians and Gays, National Conference of Black Mayors, and Southern Christian Leadership Conference, [Women of Color Feted at Womyn’s Music Festival] about the 15th Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival with anti-racist workshops, Native American and other women of color holding a march to protest the commercialization of spirituality, and Swagi Taiko holding a space for women of color only, [Jim Harvey, Keith Fabre Lose in D.C. Elections / by Sidney Brinkley], [New South African Constitution May Be First Even to Include Protections for Lesbian, Gay Civil Rights] about the South Africa’s Organization of Lesbian and Gay Activists, the African National Congress, and the United Democratic Front, [New Lobbyist at NGLTF] announcing Belinda Rochelle as the second lobbyist who previously worked with Spectrum and Alianza among other AIDS organizations, [Black Lesbian Pub Starts] the publication is called G.B.F and consists of personals, announcements, and ads, [New International AIDS Group Formed in Paris] about the International Council of AIDS Service Organizations with the executive director of the National Minority AIDS Council Paul Akio Kawata as the U.S. delegate and Van R. Nelson of the National Association of People with AIDs as the North American person with AIDS delegate, [1000 Honor Writer Audre Lorde at Boston Conference / by Mark Haile] organized by Angela Brown, Jacqui Alexander, Jinny Chammers, and Jennifer Abod, “I Am Your Sister: Forging Global Connections Across Differences” revolved around Lorde’s essay “Eye to Eye”, [Cops Get Farris at Demo] about Germain Farris’s arrest at an ACT-UP demonstration, [Black Gay Man Shot, Set Afire; 2 Plead Not Guilty] about the brutal murder of Cleveland “Ricky” L. Roundtree, [Black Gay Man Tops Staff] about Sharon Pratt Dixon appointing Christopher Echols as her campaign chief of staff, and [CDC September Statistics on AIDS Cases in U.S.].
The section [BLK VEIL] starts on page 25 and lists nine obituaries: Ronald K. Bell, Melvin Ronald Byrd, Lennox “Lenny” H. Collins, Martin “Leo” Drum, Alexander C. Gipson, Rick E. Hadnot, Grafton Jones Robinson, Donald Edward Washington, and Roosevelt “A.J.” Williams. This is followed by the gossip column titled [Read My Lips] written by Preston G. Guider on page 27. The issue concludes with the classifieds section [BLK MARKET] starting on page 29, with personal ads divided by gender, nation, then U.S. regions.
The back cover is a full-page advertisement for [The Black Line].
There are advertisements throughout, including: [the / BFP / TEE]; [I’ve always said, “If I ever got AIDS, I don’t know what I’d do.” / I was right.] ad stating the mission of AIDS Project Los Angeles; [ Let’s talk / about sex. / Stop AIDS / Project]; [Research Subjects / Needed / Men’s Sexuality and Coping Study] by Robert Fish, M.S.Ed.; [Buddies ‘n’ Pals / ‘n’ Partners] dating service for major cities in the U.S. and Canada; two meeting by hosted by GMHC [MEN / MEETING / MEN // EROTICIZING / SAFER / SEX]; [BLACK / HAIR CARE / RICKY]; [The / Hollywood / Spa / Compound / A Man’s Private Preserve]; [HAIR-O-DYNAMICS / by Chazz]; [ALL NEW! / The Magazine / For the Gay Nineties / GENRE]; [Living With HIV] by American Social Health Association, National Association of People of AIDS, and Burroughs Welcome Co.; [Visiting the Bay Area?? / Gaybook]; [THINK / ABOUT IT: / Deciding to take the test / GMHC]; [970-WOLF]; [EASIER TO OPERATE / WHILE SOBER / HIGH = / HIGH RISK]; BLK subscription ad; [ARE YOU SHOOTING HEROIN? / ARE YOU INTERESTED IN FREE / AND CONFIDENTIAL METHADONE / TREATMENT?? / THE UCLA PROJECT MAY HAVE / A FREE SLOT FOR YOU!]; [A DIFFERENT LIGHT / Gay and Lesbian Literature]; [Black and White Men Together]; [The Center / Legal Services Department]; [Unity Fellowship Church / A Church for All People]; [Evangelicals Together / FOR Gay & Lesbian Christians]; [ACT-UP/LA needs / your input • your leadership • your anger!]; [THE BODY BLACK CALENDAR 1991]; [Express Male / 1-900-463-4MEN]; [FOR BLACK GAY & / BISEXUAL MEN ONLY!] from the African American Men’s Health Project; [The Pleasure Chest Ltd.]; [TALK LIVE!]; [976-HUNK]; [HOT / TALKING / PERSONALS! / Connections USA]; and [GET A LITTLE… FUN!].
Place made
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States, North and Central America
Place depicted
Hart, Oceana County, Michigan, United States, North and Central America
Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, United States, North and Central America
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States, North and Central America
Oakland, Alameda County, California, United States, North and Central America
Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri, United States, North and Central America
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America
Johannesburg, South Africa, Africa
Paris, France, Europe
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America
Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, North and Central America
Classification
Documents and Published Materials-Published Works
Movement
HIV/AIDS Activist Movement
Type
magazines (periodicals)
Topic
Activism
Black Press
Communities
Hate crimes
Health
Identity
International affairs
LGBTQ
Mass media
Sexuality
U.S. History, 1969-2001
Violence
White supremacy movements
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Alan Bell
Object number
2018.108.24
Restrictions & Rights
© BLK Publishing Company, Inc
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd538de9091-5271-40de-a7ff-2314696fcc24

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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