Description
This is the 16th issue of the BLK magazine published March 1990. The front cover features a black and white image of Cleo Manago from the waist up, with him leaning forward on his right arm and wearing a coat over a long-sleeved shirt. At the top and to the left, [BLK] is printed in bold, white, uppercase letters within a fuchsia rectangular textbox. Presumably, the issue and date [Number 16, March 1990] are printed below [BLK] also in white text, but the fuchsia rectangular textbox is largely obscured by the image of Manago. At the bottom left corner of the cover, there is white text that reads [Cleo Manago]. There are 44 numbered pages, with articles, advertisements, classifieds, black and white photographs, and cartoon illustrations throughout.
The inside of the cover features an ad for the [Minority AIDS Project] for their [Say Sister: A Woman’s Program]. The content opens with the section entitled [Word Up / News of the Outrageous, the Amusing, the Pathetic and the Unexpected] by Leon Miller with four short articles: [Electronic Cock Ring], [Help for Unhappy Gay Men] about Heavy D’s homophobic lyrics, [Christian Rap] encouraging people to listen to DC Talk’s latest single, and [Faggots and Football] about football players using homophobic slurs. At the bottom, [Tell the Tale] encourages readers to submit stories that would fit under this section.
This is followed by five letters to the editor [BLK MAIL] and the BLK masthead on page 5.
The cover story, which beings on page 7, is titled [Cleo Manago / The ex-executive director of the AIDS Project of the / East Bay tells his story his way] with a label headline [THE BLK INTERVIEW]. Conducted and written by the editor and founder of BLK, Alan Bell, the article is a follow up to the [News Analysis] article on the AIDS Project of the East Bay in the 15th issue (NMAAHC 2018.108.15). Throughout the interview, Manago covers the behind-the-scenes politics among the different AIDS organizations, Denise Gums, the New Alliance Party, and his tenure as executive director of the AIDS Project of the East Bay.
Several shorter articles appear under [BLK COMMUNITY NEWS] beginning on page 21. The first being [AAWUSC, Thaïs-Williams, McCoy, Wilson, Harris, Saint Honored at Black Gay Leadership Conference / by Ayofemi Folayan] a thorough report of the Third Annual National Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Conference, the article includes details such as a memorial service for Pat Parker, Joe Beam, Alvin Ailey, Lawrence Washington, and Mabel Hampton, notes the change from Salsa Soul Sister’s new name to African American Wimmin United for Societal Change, awards given to many individuals such as Craig Harris, along with controversies that arose and the roundtable proposals. There is also a small excerpt titled [Words of Wilson]. Other articles include: [Gay Sons of Black Stars Make Supermarket News] Joe Louis’ son Joe Louis Barrow III and Richard Pryor’s son Richard Pryor Jr. marrying their partners according to Stars magazine, [Controversy over Dinkins Appointment Continues] about New York Mayor David Dinkins appointing Dr. Woodrow A. Myers Jr. as the city health commissioner, [Mayor Taps Black Gay Man for Head Doctor] about New York Mayor David Dinkins appointing Dr. Billy E. Jones as Commissioner of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services, [Video Debuts at Unity Black History Festival] a video co-produced by Unity and Organizing Media Project about different aspects of the African American gay community in Philadelphia called "Out of the Shadows" and narrated by Essex Hemphill, [Any Rooney Back to CBS’s ’60 Minutes’ Following Controversy Over Anti-Gay, Anti-Black Statements], [AIDS Dance-A-Thon Set for Shrine Auditorium], [Thaïs-Williams Honored] along with Michael Niemeyer, [Lesbians of Color Meet in Santa Barbara for Confab / by Alycee J. Lane] called Lesbians of Color Writers Symposium created by Barbara Smith and featured Jewelle Gomez, Chrystos, Merle Woo and Luz Maria Umpierre-Herrera, [BUGLE Elects Officers] about the Blacks United for Gay and Lesbian Equality, [BWMT Gets Over $300G from Founder’s Estate / by Clarence Burns III], [Riggs Film to Screen] about Tongues Untied with Essex Hemphill and Alan Miller, [Martin Luther King III Apologizes for Anti-Gay Talk / by Marc Rice], [Renée McCoy Names to National Youth Board], [Black/Out Seeks Stories for ‘Leadership’ Edition] the magazine of the National Coalition for Black Lesbian and Gays, [Singer Dionne Warwick in Long Beach AIDS Walk], [Black NAACP Official Connects Gays to Satan] about Waundidi Changamire, [Cleo Manago Exits APEB], [BLK Cartoons to be Part of New York Art Exhibit] about the exhibit the Cartoon Show at the National Museum of Lesbian and Gay History, [BWMT/Chicago to Host 1990 Regional Meeting], [L.A. to Get AIDS Hospice in South Central Section] in partnership with Minority AIDS Project, the Black Los Angeles AIDS Commission, and the AIDS Hospice Foundation, [Cleric Offers Support], and lastly [Stalling Makes Formal Separation from Church] Rev. George Stalling Jr separating from the Roman Catholic Church to begin the African American Catholic Congregation.
The section [BLK VEIL] begins on page 35 and lists nine obituaries, Booker Tyone Benjamin, Donald Ray Bruce, Cecil Cunnningham, Charles E. “Chaz” Henderson, James Hickman, David Holes Jr., Darnell Wesley Jackson, Reginald Ray Jones, Gary Alan Moore. This is followed by the gossip column [Read My Lips] written by Preston G. Gider and concludes with the classifieds section [BLK MARKET] with the personal ads split by U.S. regions starting on page 38.
The back cover is a full-page advertisement for [Jewel’s Catch One / March 26-April 1 / 18th Anniversary].
There are advertisements throughout, including: [Jewel’s Catch One / Western Hoe-Down] benefit; [THE NEW HORIZON / CALENDAR OF EVENTS]; [THE EXPERIENCE] weekend workshop for self-care; NYDC PRODUCTIONS and BLK social event [An East Coast Dance in the West]; AIDS Project Los Angeles [Town Hall Meeting]; [AIDS / Dance-a-thon] benefit for AIDS Project Los Angeles, Being Alive, Greater Los Angeles AIDS Hospice Foundation, and Shanti Foundation; [FOR BLACK GAY & / BISEXUAL MEN ONLY!] from the African American Men’s Health Project; [SUBSCRIBE TO BLK]; [Black and White Men Together]; [COMQUEST / Computer Matching]; [976-CAMP]; [970-WOLF]; [WE CARE ABOUT THE GAY AND LESBIAN COMMUNITY / VISITING NURSE HOMES SERVICES]; [ACCESS / The Center / The Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center] counseling services; a personal trainer named Roland looking for clients; [A DIFFERENT LIGHT / Gay and Lesbian Literature]; [Unity Fellowship Church / A Church for All People]; [WORLD / AFRICAN / ART FESTIVAL & / CULTURAL / CONVENTION]; [The Pleasure Chest Ltd.]; [Reactions]; [MIDTOWNE SPA]; [Chocolate Joy Productions]; and [TALK LIVE!].
