02/06/2026
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Happy Black History Month! We are proudly celebrating the Black q***r trailblazers. Read on to learn a little bit about each of the Black q***r forerunners featured in this post (from left to right: Marsha P. Johnson, Gladys Bentley, Bayard Rustin, Audre Lorde, James Baldwin, Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, and William Dorsey Swann) ✊🏿 ✊🏾 ✊🏽
❤️Marsha P. Johnson (1945-1992) was a pioneering transgender activist and central figure in the 1969 Stonewall uprising, helping to ignite the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. She co-founded STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries) to support unhoused and marginalized trans youth in New York City.
🧡Gladys Bentley (1907-1960) was a groundbreaking blues singer and performer of the Harlem Renaissance who daringly challenged gender and sexuality norms through her music and performances. Gladys performed in tuxedos and sang boldly Sapphic lyrics, challenging social restrictions and expressing q***r visibility.
💛Audre Lorde (1934-1992) was a poet, writer, and activist who described herself as “Black, le***an, mother, warrior, poet.” Her writing powerfully explored the themes of identity, justice, and liberation. She inspired and shaped feminist, q***r, and anti-racist thought, encouraging people to recognize difference as a source of strength.
💚James Baldwin (1924-1987) was one of the most influential writers and social critics of the 20th century, addressing race, sexuality, and identity in his literature. His novels and essays are widely read to day and have helped many readers understand the interconnected struggles for racial and q***r liberation.
💜Miss Major Griffin-Gracy (1946-2025) was a lifelong activist and a veteran of the Stonewall Uprising who worked for decades for liberation for transgender women of color. She co-founded and led the Transgender Gender-Variant & Intersex Justice Project in 2004.
🤎William Dorsey Swann (1860-1925) was born into slavery. Once freed, he organized one of the first series of drag shows recorded in American history in the 1880s and 90s. Arrested in police raids numerous times throughout his performing career, William was steadfast in his resistance and public advocacy.
