<I>BLK Vol. 3 No. 2</I>
date: label: Date
content: February 1991
name: label: Published by
content: Alan Bell, American
label: Edited by
content: Alan Bell, American
label: Subject of
content: Rev. James Cleveland, American, 1931 - 1991
label: Subject of
content: Hetrick-Martin Institute, American, founded 1979
label: Subject of
content: Thomas Andrew Dorsey, American, 1899 - 1993
label: Subject of
content: The Roberta Martin Singers, American, 1933 - 1970
label: Subject of
content: The Caravans, American, founded 1952
label: Subject of
content: Rev. Clarence LaVaughn Franklin, American, 1915 - 1984
label: Subject of
content: Savoy Records, American, founded 1945
label: Subject of
content: Minority AIDS Project, American, founded 1985
label: Subject of
content: National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc., founded 1919
label: Subject of
content: Stevie Wonder, American, born 1950
label: Subject of
content: Mahalia Jackson, American, 1911 - 1972
label: Subject of
content: Ma Rainey, American, 1886 - 1939
label: Subject of
content: Edwin Hawkins, American, born 1943
label: Subject of
content: Quincy Jones, American, 1933 - 2024
label: Subject of
content: Aretha Franklin, American, 1942 - 2018
label: Subject of
content: Natalie Cole, American, 1950 - 2015
label: Subject of
content: Ray Charles, American, 1930 - 2004
label: Subject of
content: Gladys Knight, American, born 1944
label: Subject of
content: Shirley Caesar, American
label: Subject of
content: Albertina Walker, American, 1929 - 2010
label: Subject of
content: Cassietta George, American, 1929 - 1995
label: Subject of
content: Dorothy Norwood, American, born 1935
label: Subject of
content: Sgt. Perry Watkins, American, 1948 - 1996
label: Subject of
content: United States Army, American, founded 1775
label: Subject of
content: Jewel Thais-Williams, American
label: Subject of
content: Rue's House, American, 1989 - 1997
label: Subject of
content: United States Congress, American, founded 1789
label: Subject of
content: National LGBTQ Task Force, American, founded 1974
label: Subject of
content: Congressional Black Caucus, American, founded 1971
label: Subject of
content: Ron Dellums, American, born 1935
label: Subject of
content: Augustus Hawkins, American, 1907 - 2007
label: Subject of
content: John Lewis, American, 1940 - 2020
label: Subject of
content: John Conyers Jr., American, 1929 - 2019
label: Subject of
content: Charles Rangel, American, 1930 - 2025
label: Subject of
content: Louis Stokes, American, born 1925
label: Subject of
content: Rep. Maxine Waters, American, born 1938
label: Subject of
content: Grupo Gay da Bahía, Brazilian, founded 1980
label: Subject of
content: National Task Force on AIDS Prevention, American, 1985 - 1998
label: Subject of
content: National Association of Black and White Men Together, American, founded 1980
label: Subject of
content: Sabrina Sojourner, American, born 1952
label: Subject of
content: African-American Lesbian and Gay Alliance, American, founded 1986
label: Subject of
content: Whitney Houston, American, 1963 - 2012
label: Subject of
content: Desmond Tutu, South African, born 1931
label: Subject of
content: Rev. Jesse Jackson, American, born 1941
label: Subject of
content: Arsenio Hall, American, born 1956
label: Subject of
content: Big Daddy Kane, American, born 1968
notes: label: Description
content: This is the 27th issue of BLK Magazine published February 1991. The front cover features a black and white image of Rev. James Cleveland. Cleveland is dressed in a suit, his jacket made of reflective material, with rings on each of his pinky fingers. He is standing, with his left leg stepping on a box and his hands gathered in the center and looking directly at the camera. The backdrop seems to be a simple curtain with folds. At the top and centered off to the left, [BLK] is printed in bold, white, uppercase letters within a light purple rectangular box. Above the text box in small, white, uppercase letters it reads [THE NATIONAL BLACK LESBIAN AND GAY NEWSMAGAZINE], fitting across the length of the textbox. Outside of the upper right corner of the [BLK] text box are the news sections listed in white text, [NEWS / CARTOONS / ARTS / WORD UP / READ MY LIPS / CLASSIFIEDS]. Located below the magazine title in small, white text it reads [Vol. 3, No. 2 / Whole No. 27 / February 1991]. The headline [Gospel Legend James Cleveland / Is Called to That / Mass Choir in the Sky] is printed across Cleveland’s legs. There are 44 numbered pages, with articles, advertisements, classifieds, black and white photographs, and cartoon illustrations throughout.
label: Description
content: The inside of the cover features an ad for the Minority AIDS project for a 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 five short articles: [Whitney and ‘That Person’] regarding her sexuality, [Tutu: Yes Yes] about South African Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu, [Jesse Jackson Affirms Support] Rev. Jackson makes it clear he supports lesbian and gay rights in the Advocate’s Black History Month issue, [Arsenio Talks, a Little] about Arsenio Hall responding to rumors regarding Roseanne, Madonna, and Eddie Murphy, and [Seeing Reality] about Big Daddy Kane appearing in Playgirl magazine.
label: Description
content: This is followed the [BLK] mast head on page 4, with five letters to the editor in the section [BLK MAIL].
label: Description
content: A feature story, which begins on page 10, is titled [High on Milk / New York school gives lesbian and gay / people of color a fighting chance] with a label headline [INSTITUTIONS]. Written by Cary Alan Johnson, the article highlights the Hetrick-Martin Institute and its Harvey Milk Off Site High School, the only accredited academic setting for kids who have trouble staying in regular schools due to discrimination based on their sexual orientation in New York City. The school works alongside the Gay and Lesbian Community Health Project to promote health awareness. Students enrolled include those who live in group homes, shelters, and ball Houses, such as Mahogany LaBeija. One quote from the article is printed in larger font, “Though there are a number of African-American counselors, there is a lack of people of colors in leadership positions to act as role models.”
label: Description
content: The cover story, which beings on page 13, is titled [Heading for Home / Gospel legend James Cleveland is called by / the Lord to that mass choir in the sky] with a label headline [COVER STORY]. Written by Mark Haile, the article covers the recent death of Reverend James Cleveland, with BLK reporting the cause of death was due to HIV-related complications, differing from the reports by mainstream media. It traces the history of Rev. Cleveland as the Father of Gospel and founder of the Cornerstone Institutional Baptist Church in Los Angeles, covers the rumors touching on Rev. Cleveland’s sexuality, the relationship between the church and homophobia, the many artists Rev. Cleveland worked with, and his funeral service.
label: Description
content: Several shorter articles appear under the section [BLK NEWS]. Beginning on page 17, these articles include: [U.S. Army Gives Sgt. Watkins $135G Plus Promotion] about the U.S. army settling a 10-year legal battle against SFC Perry Watkins (NMAAHC 2018.108.13 features a cover story on Sgt. Watkins), [Black Lesbian Org Starts] about Ladies Concerned, the new professional women’s organization of African American lesbians, with officers Stephanie Farrington, Cheryl Butler, Liz Mays, Angela Vaughn, Rue Thaïs-Williams, and Sandra Domingue, [Congress OKs Key Bills; Black Voting Records Best / by Belinda Rochelle] regarding legislations impacting the lives of lesbians and gay men in general, people of color in particular, [CDC December Statistics on AIDS Cases in U.S.], [EACH Alive Despite Fire] about the Early Advocacy and Care for HIV program, which combines the efforts of the Gay Men of Color Consortium, the American Indian AIDS Institute, Gay Asian-Pacific Alliance Community HIV Project, Black and White Men Together / Men of All Colors Together, and Community United in Response to AIDS / SIDA, [Knight Wins Competition] about Misty Knight, the Miss Gay Black Ohio who was crowned the new Miss Midwest USA (NMAAHC 2018.108.22 features a related article), [Coalition Seeks to Stem Return to Unsafe Sex] about the National Relapse Prevention Network, [Latin City Bans Gay Bias] Bahia, Brazil becomes the first city in South America to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, where Brazil’s oldest gay organization Grupo Gay da Bahia resides, [AIDS Hits 1/3 of Adult Population in Parts of Africa] with a high rate of AIDS killings adults in various African countries, many kids are becoming orphans, [Black TV Gets Probation] the 26 year-old was given two-year’s probation after enrolling in a high school and joining the cheer squad (NMAAHC 2018.108.22 features a related article), [Black Cop Charges Bias] about Trooper Jerome Martin, [Ethiopia Backs Gay Org] about Ethiopia supporting the International Lesbian and Gay Association to receive consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, [AALGA Gets $5K Grant] about the African-American Lesbian Gay Alliance of Atlanta, [Activists Protest Safari Philly Bar’s Congo Night] protesters from Queer Action and the local Black and White Men Together chapter call out racist imagery and language in bar’s ads for “Oriental Express” and “Congo Night” themed nights, [Black Lesbian Gets Prize] the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists award Sabrina Sojourner for her article “Accepting Difference” published in the July 1990 issue of BLK (NMAAHC 2018.108.20 features the article), and [Women Form ‘Sisters’] about the Revolutionary Sisters of Color, a self-described group of socialist feminist women of color, calling for an end of the Persian Gulf War.
label: Description
content: This is followed by the section [BLK ARTS] on page 27. The subsection [THEATER] has one article titled [‘Hits Home’ Hits D.C.]; the subsection [MUSIC] has one article titled [Third Whitney Album Arrives / by D.J. Marius]; and the subsection [MUSIC NEWS] with the article [Vanilla Ice and His Ass / by Ron Smith]. The gossip column [Read My Lips] is on page 31. The issue concludes with the classifieds section [BLK MARKET] starting on page 35, with personal ads divided by gender, nation, then U.S. regions.
label: Description
content: The back cover is a full-page advertisement for [The Black Line].
label: Description
content: There are several advertisements throughout. These include: [SOMEONE / YOU CAN / TRUST / Culver City / Mazda]; [KEITH MEDICAL GROUP]; [RAKEVIN / INCOME TAX SERVICE]; [LIVING / WITH HIV] by the American Social Health Association, National Association of People of AIDS, and Burroughs Welcome Co.; [FOR BLACK GAY & / BISEXUAL MEN / ONLY!] from the African American Men’s Health Project; two meetings by hosted by GMHC [MEN / MEETING / MEN / EROTICIZING / SAFER / SEX]; [THINK ABOUT IT: / Deciding to take the test. / GMHC]; [The more you put the / “word out” about / Black Men’s Dating / Service]; [STUCKER / PHARMACY]; [Serving the Needs / of the People / VISITING NURSE HOMES SERVICES]; [Visiting The Bay Area?? / GAYBOOK]; [GENE’S / AUDIO VIDEO]; [Subscribe to the leading interracial gay magazine / QUARTERLY INTERCHANGE]; [GAYELLOW PAGES]; [Cheap Thrills / BIJOU Video]; [WELCOME ABOARD SAN DIEGO! / BLACK MEN’S XCHANGE]; [Black and White / Men Together]; [ACT-UP/LA needs / your input • your leadership • your anger!]; [THE CENTER / LEGAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT]; [A DIFFERENT LIGHT / Gay and Lesbian Literature]; [THE / HOLLYWOOD / SPA / COMPOUND / A MAN’S PRIVATE PRESERVE]; [CHIRON RISING], [USC / People with cognitive impair- / ment due to HIV infection are / needed for the Phase II study of / Peptide-T…]; [970-WOLF]; [Valentine Gift Ideas / The Gay & Lesbian Community Services Center / 2 Smash Broadway Hits !!!]; [STOP NOW] by the Open Quest Institute; [INCOME TAX / BIGGER REFUNDS / RUCKER’S / TAX SERVICE]; [Unity / Fellowship / Church / A Church for All People]; [THE BODY BLACK CALENDAR 1991]; [the / BFP TEE]; [Seventh Annual / GSGRA / Los Angeles Chapter / Presents / Rodeo 1991] presented by the Golden State Gay Rodeo Association; [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; [THING / SHE KNOWS /WHO SHE IS] a Chicago-based underground zine; ; [The Pleasure Chest Ltd.]; [REACTIONS]; [HOT / TALKING / PERSONALS! / Connections USA]; [Get It On With Hot Men / 1-900-463-4MEN]; [HOT / TALK / ACTION]; and [GET A LITTLE… FUN!].
place: label: Place made
content: Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Seattle, King County, Washington, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: San Francisco, San Francisco county, California, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Bahia, Brazil, Latin America, South America
label: Place depicted
content: Zambia, Africa
label: Place depicted
content: Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Jamaica Plain, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Activism
label: Topic
content: Associations and institutions
label: Topic
content: Baptist
label: Topic
content: Black Press
label: Topic
content: Christianity
label: Topic
content: Communities
label: Topic
content: Education
label: Topic
content: Families
label: Topic
content: Gospel (Music)
label: Topic
content: Government
label: Topic
content: Health
label: Topic
content: Identity
label: Topic
content: International affairs
label: Topic
content: LGBTQ
label: Topic
content: Mass media
label: Topic
content: Men
label: Topic
content: Persian Gulf War, 1991
label: Topic
content: Politics
label: Topic
content: Race relations
label: Topic
content: Religion
label: Topic
content: Sexuality
label: Topic
content: Singers (Musicians)
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, 1969-2001
label: Topic
content: Women
label: Topic
content: Women's organizations
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Books and Published Materials
label: Movement
content: African American - Latinx Solidarity
label: Movement
content: HIV/AIDS Activist Movement
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Alan Bell
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2018.108.27
objectType: label: Type
content: magazines (periodicals)
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: © BLK Publishing Company, Inc
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: ink on paper (fiber product)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 10 13/16 × 8 1/4 × 1/8 in. (27.4 × 20.9 × 0.3 cm)