Just in time for the last Wednesday of June, Wicked Wednesday returns with famous natural LGBT people throughout history. June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month.
James Baldwin
August 2, 1924 - December 1, 1987
James Baldwin was a playwright, essayist and novelist that made a great impact during the 60’s civil rights era.
He was noted for his radical perspective on both race and sex issues and the weight they placed on those that didn’t subscribed to the norms. He states that he knew he was gay before he was even seven years old.
When he formally addressed his sexuality he stated the following:
"[T]here were so many labels on my back beginning with'nigger.' By the time I was 14, I went through a kind of nervous breakdown, which happened when I, was a preacher, and by the time I was 17, 1 had survived all the labels, including the label of 'faggot.' It wasn't and it isn't, easy."
Other novels by Baldwin include Another Country, Giovanni’s Room, and Just Above My Head. Baldwin considers Just Above My Head a big step in his literary career as well as his personal life as he finally found the courage to write about homosexuality between black gays.
Alvin Ailey
January 5, 1931 - December 1, 1989
Alvin Ailey was born in 1931 in Rogers, Texas. He developed a love for dance after moving to Los Angeles and seeing Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. He was never ignorant to his attraction to the same sex but it would seem he was never quite at ease with it either.
He danced with Lester Horton’s troupe, whom he studied under, after he decided to leave college. Upon Horton’s passing, he was ordained director of the company. His work was admired but still, jobs for black dancers were far and few between. So he started his own company, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958.
Though he rarely spoke of his personal affairs, he also did not hide his sexuality. After his long term relationship ended with a schoolteacher whom assisted him in managing his dance company, he found himself involved in a great number of short flings with young men he met at gay bars.
Ailey passed on in 1989 due to AIDS related complication that he requested to be listed as terminal blood dyscrasia. Due to his gentle yet shameless sexuality, he was known as a silent advocate for both Gay and African American communities.
Angela Davis
Angela Davis is a well know and well respected name in Civil Rights movements all over. She played a leading role in not only the Black Civil Rights movement but in the rights of women, prisoners, gays and basically any form on injustice that she could get her hands on.
She has also been an open lesbian since 1997 when she shared her sexuality with the world in Out Magazine. She shared this news with great reluctance, after already experiencing such great discrimination already; adding being a lesbian of color during such harsh times took great bravery.
Sexuality in the Black Panther Party was considered both taboo and open when it came to women. Although women were still not considered equals in the party and still had to fight twice as hard as men to be respected.
Davis has worked and continues to work as an activism to discrimination with a special interest in prisoner’s rights. She has created the Critical Resistance organization with the goal of putting an end to the prison system. She also created the African American Agenda 2000 in continued support of black feminists.
Johnny Mathis
Johnny Mathis was once known for his athletic abilities as oppose to his singing voice. Through his father’s encouragement he developed his talents as a singer and dancer. After years of vocal training, including opera, and performing at home, school and church, he eventually began a gig at Ann Dee’s 440 Club at the age of 19.
After receiving offers to both compete in the Olympics and pursue his music career in 1956, Mathis chose his music and has since sold 350 million records worldwide. By 1958, he was already releasing a greatest hits album.
In 1982 he shared with US Magazine that he was accustomed to his homosexual lifestyle which induced letters of death threats.
Felicia "Snoop" Pearson
Felicia “Snoop” Pearson was not born into the most ideal circumstances. Born at 3 pounds, she was not expected to live. When it was found that she would survive, she was raised by foster parents as her birth parents were both incarcerated drug addicts. She received her GED in prison where she was serving 2 eight year terms for murder.
Her life took a turn for the better when after the death of her father figure Arnold Loney, while she was locked up.
Once released, she was spotted at a club and asked to audition for a part on “The Wire" due to her over sized personality.
Person has always been openly gay and discusses it in a memoir entitled Grace After Midnight, a story in a series about a gay woman in a man’s world.
Tracy Chapman
Signed to Elektra Records in 1987, Tracy Chapman had been preparing for this opportunity since she was 8 years old. Growing up in modest surrounding, she learned to channel her emotions into her music at a very young age. She was even one of the earliest modern artists of color to discuss race issues and politics in her music.
She won several Grammys for her single "Fast Car" from her debut album and was even invited to perform it at Nelson Mandela’s 70th birthday celebration. She has also won Grammys for many other songs.
Chapman has never openly discussed her sexuality with the public but she has been romantically linked to several women including Alice Walker, the author of The Color Purple. When asked about the affair and its secrecy, Walker replied with“It was quiet to you maybe but that’s because you didn’t live in our era."
Do you have any kinky LGBT icons to add to the list?
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