<I>BLK Vol. 2 No. 2</I>
date: label: Date
content: February 1990
name: label: Published by
content: Alan Bell, American
label: Edited by
content: Alan Bell, American
label: Subject of
content: Lavender Light, American, founded 1985
label: Subject of
content: AIDS Project East Bay, American, founded 1983
label: Subject of
content: Larry Saxxon, American
label: Subject of
content: Cleo Manago, American, born 1963
label: Subject of
content: Minority AIDS Project, American, founded 1985
label: Subject of
content: Rev. Carl Bean, American, 1944 - 2021
label: Subject of
content: Phill Wilson, American, born 1956
label: Subject of
content: National Association of Black and White Men Together, American, founded 1980
label: Subject of
content: George Augustus Stallings Jr., American, born 1948
label: Subject of
content: Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum, American, 1988 - 2003
label: Subject of
content: Danitra Vance, American, 1954 - 1994
label: Subject of
content: Keith St. John, American, born 1957
label: Subject of
content: Barbara Smith, American, born 1946
label: Subject of
content: Assotto Saint, Haitian American, 1957 - 1994
label: Subject of
content: African-American Lesbian and Gay Alliance, American, founded 1986
label: Subject of
content: Ayofemi Stowe Folayan, American, born 1950
label: Subject of
content: Patrick Kelly, American, 1954 - 1990
label: Subject of
content: Alvin Ailey, American, 1931 - 1989
label: Subject of
content: Audre Lorde, American, 1934 - 1992
label: Subject of
content: Ice-T, American, born 1962
label: Subject of
content: Essence Magazine, American, founded 1970
label: Subject of
content: Living Colour, American, founded 1984
notes: label: Description
content: This is the 15th issue of BLK magazine, published February 1990. The front cover features a black and white image of Chas. Bennett Brack, co-founder of Lavender Light. Photographed from the chest up, Brack is pictured leaning against a wall while wearing a flat bill hat and long sleeve shirt. At the top and off centered to the left, [BLK] is printed in large, bold, white, uppercase letters within a blue rectangular textbox with [Num] just visible along the bottom. The letters are largely obscured by the image of Brack. There are 44 pages in total, with articles, advertisements, classifieds, black and white photographs, and cartoon illustrations throughout.
label: Description
content: The inside cover features an ad for the Minority AIDS Project announcing their program [Say Sister: / A Woman’s / Program]. The content opens with the section entitled [WORD UP] with five short articles: [Ice-T Says Okay to Poof Bashing] where Ice-T tells his Australian audience he approves of violent hate crimes against gay men, [Three Silly Millimeters] about different sized condoms sent to different countries, [People Gotta Hate Someone] where Judy Dlugacz of Olivia Records says the music industry looks down on racism and anti-Semitism but not homophobia, [Essence Lessens] about the November 1989 issue covering the range of experiences of black men but did not include black gay men, lacking the intersectionality as covered by Robert Santiago’s “Black and Latino” in the same issue, and [Real Reid] about Living Colour denouncing Guns N’ Roses for their racist and homophobic song.
label: Description
content: This is followed by four letters to the editor in the section [BLK MAIL] and the BLK masthead on page 5.
label: Description
content: The cover story, which begins on page 7, is titled [Lavender Light / Gospel choir gives ’em that old-time religion / plus on-time AIDS info] with a label headline [COVER STORY]. Written by Mark Chestnut, the article covers the history, purpose, and growth of “the Black and People of All Colors Lesbian and Gay Gospel Choir.” The founders say the choir grew out of the Men of All Colors Together / New York chapter. There is a black and white photograph and two quotes in a larger font: [“The church is one of the only places where you can be the biggest sissy that ever hit the face of the earth, as long as you don’t say, “I’m gay.’”], and [“We’re not attached to a church because that’s where most of the members ran from in the beginning.”].
label: Description
content: A feature story, which begins on page 11, is titled [Where We Stand / The state of black lesbian and gay America at the dawn of the decade]. Written by James Stokes, the article is about the political state of the U.S., homophobia in African American community, and relationships with other marginalized groups.
label: Description
content: A second feature story on page 13 is titled [Looking for Love / A feminine perspective on how we enter into / and sustain intimate relationships] by Rev. E. Victoria Lee. The article is about healthy relationships beginning with self-fulfillment.
label: Description
content: A third feature store, which begins on page 17, is titled [Brouhaha by the Bay / APEB workers and management trade charges in clash / over professionalism and agency mission] with a label headline [NEWS ANALYSIS]. Written by L. Lloyd Jordan, this article covers the change in management at the AIDS Project of the East Bay after the departure of Larry Saxxon and under the new director, Cleo Manago.
label: Description
content: Several shorter articles appear under the [BLK COMMUNITY NEWS] beginning on page 23. These include: [Manager Goes; Owner Dumps Objectionable Items / by Keith Clark], [Stalling Moves Imani] about Rev. George Augustus Stallings Jr. moving the Imani Temple African American Catholic Congregation to a center, [Black Gay Conference, Health Institute to Open] about the Third Annual National Black Gay and Lesbian Conference and Health Institute with 26 education workshops about AIDS, women, and substance abuse, [Lorde Wins $20K Grant Despite Funding Curbs], and [Fashion Designer Pat Kelly Dies on New Year’s / by Mark Haile].
label: Description
content: The gossip column [Read My Lips] by Preston G. Guider appears on page 33. [BLK LIST], a listing of gay and lesbian organizations, bars, and baths, runs from pages 35 to 37 and covers internationally and nationally, with the latter divvied up by region. Entities are assigned one to four stars based on how black they are, with one star meaning “Somewhat black” and four stars “All black.” The bottom of page 37 has text announcing the next BLK issue will hold an interview with Cleo Manago. The issue concludes with the classifieds section [BLK MARKET] starting on page 38, with personal ads divided by international, then U.S. regions.
label: Description
content: The back cover is a full-page advertisement for [JEWEL’S / Catch One / Mardi Gras].
label: Description
content: There are advertisements throughout, including: [the BFP TEE]; [PRO-CHOICE ACTIVISTS NEEDED] with the Clinic Defense Hotline; [TOWN HALL MEETING / Californian 2000 / Health Insurance For All]; [OUT/LOOK / National Lesbian Quarterly / OUT / WRITE / 90] about the First National Lesbian and Gay Writers Conference; [FOR BLACK GAY & / BISEXUAL MEN ONLY!] from the African American Men’s Health Project; [A Pirate’s Tale / THE BUCCANEER] about a novel by M.S. Hunter; [AIDS Project Los Angeles] with a list of services; [The Gay Fireside Companion / by Leigh Rutledge]; [A DIFFERENT LIGHT / Gay and Lesbian Literature]; [The Next Safer Sex Facilitator Training Session / For The / AIDS Prevention Team] accompanied by stats of Black gay men who have contracted AIDS; [BGM: FOUR / JIBARO / FROM THE BLACKLIGHT PRESS]; [976-CAMP]; [970-WOLF]; [WE CARE ABOUT THE GAY & LESBIAN COMMUNITY / VISITING NURSE HOME SERVICES]; [WORLD / AFRICAN / ART FESTIVAL & / CULTURAL / CONVENTION]; a personal trainer named Roland looking for clients; [Black and White Men Together]; [PARTY AT TRAXX]; [ACCESS / The Center / The Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center] counseling services; [Unity Fellowship Church / A Church For All People]; [THIRD ANNUAL NATIONAL BLACK GAY AND LESBIAN / CONFERENCE & HEALTH INSTITUTE / Celebrating Our History, / Creating Our Future]; sponsored by Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum and hosted by African American Lesbian and Gay Alliance in Atlanta, GA; [MIDTOWNE SPA]; [The Pleasure Chest Ltd.]; [The / Gay / Fetish / Times / & Video / Review]; [BE A PART OF THE / OLDEST AND LARGEST / GAY & LESBIAN COMMUNITY / SERVICES CENTER!] the Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center seeking to fill an open position; [CHOCOLATE JOY PRODUCTIONS]; and [TALK LIVE!].
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: Oakland, Alameda County, California, 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: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Paris, Île-de-France, France, Europe
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Activism
label: Topic
content: Associations and institutions
label: Topic
content: Black Press
label: Topic
content: Catholicism
label: Topic
content: Christianity
label: Topic
content: Communities
label: Topic
content: Gender
label: Topic
content: Gospel (Music)
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: Race relations
label: Topic
content: Religion
label: Topic
content: Sexuality
label: Topic
content: Spirituality
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, 1969-2001
label: Topic
content: Women
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: 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: 2018.108.15
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)