Explore Black History

February 1989

The third issue of BLK magazine, published February 1989. It is printed in black and white and features an image of jazz singer Sweet Baby J'ai. Only J'ai's right shoulder and head are visible as she turns her head slightly to the right, looking back at the camera. She wears a light-colored head wrap. At the top left corner is a black textbox with the letters [BLK] written inside in large, bold uppercase white letters, followed by [Number 3, February 1989] in a smaller font. There are 30 pages in total, with articles, advertisements, classifieds, black and white photographs, and cartoon illustrations originally from Ebony Magazine with new captions written by BLK.
The issue opens with a calendar of the month's events followed by an article about J'ai written by Mark Haile. Two pictures of J'ai accompany this article. A second article on pages 6 and 8 consists of an interview with Dr. German Maisonet about [health care for blacks in the Age of AIDS]. This is followed by an article on circumcision and an obituary for activist and author Joe Beam.
The shorter articles in the [Community News] section are [Research Says Cokers See High AIDS Risk], [Black Gay Performance Art Hits Los Angeles], [Black Literary Journal Seeks Submissions], [Gay Conference in Los Angeles Only Weeks Away], [Politico Nate Holden Puts Black Gay Kids on Hold], [Black Student Group Slates Free Film Series], [Leadership Roundtable Scheduled to Convene], [List January CDC Stats on U.S. AIDS Cases], [List Complete Conference AIDS Institute Schedule], [BWMT Elects Officers], and [Black Lesbian Group Retreats to Sausalito]. This section is followed by a community directory and classified ads.
There are advertisements throughout the publication. Page 7 features a full-page ad for [The Second Annual Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Conference and AIDS Institute] scheduled to take place February 17-20, 1989. The Theme of the conference is printed at the top of the page in large bold letters [Loving Ourselves, Healing Ourselves, Preparing For The 21st Century.]. Some of the other ads include a gala [Honoring HARVEY FIERSTEIN] organized by the AIDS Hospice Foundation, [“A Tribute To Sylvester” STARRING Chaka Kahn, Jeannie Tracey & Kim Miller], [Erase Bad Credit], a call for [MEMBERSHIP AND SUPPORT] for [BEING ALIVE / PEOPLE WITH AIDS ACTION COALITION], [CULIVER CITY] car dealership, multiple party and chat lines. The back cover is a full page advertisement for Midtowne Spa.

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Books and Published Materials

HIV/AIDS Activist Movement

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Alan Bell

National Museum of African American History and Culture

2018.108.3

magazines (periodicals)

© BLK Publishing Company, Inc
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

ink on paper (fiber product)

H x W x D: 10 13/16 × 8 1/4 × 1/8 in. (27.4 × 20.9 × 0.3 cm)

Title • BLK Vol. 1 No. 3

nmaahc_2018.108.3

NMAAHC

BLK VOL. 1 NO. 3

National Museum of African American History and Culture

CC0

1980s

Minority AIDS Project • Sweet Baby J'ai • Beam, Joseph F. • National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays • National Association of Black and White Men Together • Bell, Alan • Holden, Nate N. • Hemphill, Essex

United States • Los Angeles County • North and Central America • Los Angeles • California

Medicine • Activism • Black Press • LGBTQ • Communities • Health • Sexuality • HIV/AIDS Activist Movement • Mass media • Singers (Musicians) • U.S. History, 1969-2001 • Group identity

City • Los Angeles • County • Los Angeles County • State • California • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America

Images

Limited Use