Honoring the Contributions of Black LGBTQ+ Americans

Anderson: Despite his prolific presence in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, legendary author and activist James Baldwin was denied a visible role in the 1963 March on Washington because of his homosexuality. Hello, and welcome to "Comcast Newsmakers." I'm Tetiana Anderson. While the name James Baldwin is recognizable for some, he's one of many Black LGBTQ Americans whose names and accomplishments are often underrecognized. David Johns is the executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, and he joins me to discuss his organization's efforts to recognize the legacy and the achievements of Black LGBTQ Americans. And, David, thank you for being here.

Johns: Thank you so much for having me, Tetiana.

Anderson: So, let's start with the name of the organization -- National Black Justice Coalition. Give us some insight into the organization's mission.

Johns: I appreciate the question. I'm always excited to answer it. The National Black Justice Coalition, or NBJC, was founded in 2003 by a group of committed leaders who understood that, too often, people made assumptions, incorrect assumptions about the Black community and in particular that we were all cisgendered and heterosexual, which has never been true. As long as there have been Black people, we've been beautifully and incredibly diverse. And so those leaders, including Mandy Carter and Keith Boykin, who organized the first meeting of a sitting president and LGBTQIA+ leaders, established NBJC to be intentional and unapologetic in acknowledging that unless and until all Black people are free, none of us will be free.

Anderson: And when it comes to shining a spotlight on those who either are not recognized or underrepresented, who are some of the people we are talking about? Share some examples.

Johns: Yeah, two of our ancestors come to mind, and one is in relationship to the opening, connected to Uncle Jimmy, as I call him, and that's Brother Bayard Rustin. Brother Bayard was the architect of the modern morch -- March -- excuse me -- on Washington. He is someone who taught Dr. King pacifism and other teachings that he learned organizing throughout the world. Without him, we would not have had that watershed moment. And he was arrested for his homosexuality and relegated to the back of the house. Similarly, too often, people talk about Pride or create spaces to celebrate the advancements of the LGBTQIA+ community without naming the work of Marsha P. Johnson. The Stonewall Rebellion would not have happened without the work of Marsha P. Johnson, a Black trans woman, who stood and said that the police would not be permitted to oppress our community. And she started an organization which has a legacy that continues to this very day.

Anderson: So the Coalition has a whole library of LGBTQ+ and what you call same-gender-loving people. Tell us about that collection.

Johns: I appreciate that. Same-gender-loving is the term that I use. It was created by a Black man, Cleo Manago, to underscore the fact that, too often, "gay" is used as a synonym for wide LGBTQIA+ people. And so the term signals that I am clear and unapologetic about my same-gender-lovingness as well as my Africanness. And then as it relates to the library and legacy, NBJC is very happy to have inherited the Ubuntu Library, created by Stephen Maglott, and it's an encyclopedia of all the contributions that we've made throughout history. It is now titled Been Here, a reminder that as long as there have been Black people, we have been here, too, as well. And people can find that at beenhere.org

Anderson: So, you have a couple of flagship events, the Wisdom Awards and the James Baldwin Awards. And these are really designed to shift the narrative around some of these hidden figures that we were talking about earlier. Talk to us about the legacy of these two events.

Johns: Yeah, I'm really proud of NBJC's responsibility in creating these spaces, in particular for two reasons. One is, too often, when people tell stories about LGBTQIA+ people or when we're represented in the media, we're young and we're clad in rainbows and we're youthful. But if we do this right, and if we're protected, and if there are policies that ensure that we can be safe and happy and healthy and whole, then we age, we become elders in our community. And so the Wisdom Awards are designed to give flowers to our elders who can smell them, as well as to those who have benefited from their labor when they've passed on. And it's designed to ensure that we are able to learn from those lessons as we continue to work to ensure that every member of our beautifully diverse community can be free.

Anderson: So much to talk about here. I know people are going to want to go to the website. What is it?

Johns: I hope so. People can find more information about all of the ways that we try and end racism, to ensure that everyone can be free, including by defending democracy, can visit nbjc.org.

Anderson: David Johns of the National Black Justice Coalition, thank you for being here.

Johns: Thank you, Tetiana.

Anderson: And thanks to you, as well, for watching. As always, for more great conversations with leaders in your own community and across the nation, visit comcastnewsmakers.com. I'm Tetiana Anderson.