Description
This is the 20th issue of BLK Magazine published July 1990. The front cover, printed in black and white with an orange tint, features Nedra Johnson (left) and Dionne Freeney at New York’s Gay Pride Rally in Union Square. Both are wearing cut off t-shirts and photographed from the waist up, with Johnson raising their right first and Freeney showing their profile. In the upper left corner [BLK] is printed in large, bold white upper case letters within an orange rectangular box. The bottom of the letters “L” and “K are slightly obscured by Johnson and Freeney. To the right of “BLK”, is the list of section present in the issue in black, uppercase letters [NEWS / CARTOONS / ARTS / WORD UP / READ MY LIPS / CLASSIFIEDS]. The date and issue [Vol. 2, No. 7 / Whole No. 20 / July 1990] are printed below the BLK box and above Johnson’s right fist in black text. Near the bottom, left corner, [Black / Gay / Pride] is printed in orange text. There are 48 numbered pages, with articles, advertisements, classifieds, black and white photographs, and illustrations throughout.
The inside of the cover features an ad for the Minority AIDS Project for their event [COMING HOME FOR FRIENDS / 3 / ANNUAL / GOSPEL / BENEFIT]. The content opens with the section [WORD UP / News of the Outrageous, the Amusing, the Pathetic and the Unexpected] by Leon Miller with five articles: [VCR Begets AZT] about an individual who is HIV+ committing a crime to be treated with azidothymidine (AZT), an antiretroviral medication used to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, [UT Giveth and Taketh Away] about two frats painting and selling t-shirts with racial slurs, [Whoopi Goldberg on Leg Waxing] about personal choices, [Audio Two Doesn’t Care] about homophobic slurs in the rap duo’s lyrics, and [Graffiti] regarding posters promoting the New York Post.
This is followed by [JUMP START], with founder Alan Bell addressing the difference between pressuring by private citizens and coercion by the government in terms of organized pressure. On the same page, a column for the BLK masthead is to the right, followed by the seven letters to the editor [BLK MAIL] on pages 6 through 11.
The first feature story, which begins on page 13, is titled [Pride at Home / Celebrating being lesbian and gay in / our own neighborhoods], with the first part of the title in orange text and the label headline [CONTROVERSY]. Written by Alycee J. Lane, the article notes the difference where African Americans march for gay and lesbian pride versus where they live, calling for a revolutionary self-love. The second feature story , which begins on page 15, is titled [Accepting Difference / Conformity is the method / in the madness of oppression.] with the label headline [COMMENTARY]. Written by Sabrina Sojourner, the article is about difference causing oppression and the dialogue needed to undo inherited bigotry.
Several shorter articles appear under the section [BLK NEWS]. Beginning on page 20, these articles include: [African-Americans Join in Gay Pride Celebrations Across U.S., but Overall Participation Still Sparse] talking specifically about New York, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Columbus, Atlanta, San Diego, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.; [Black South Africans Lose Only Gay Bar in Area / by Rex Wockner] the bar, Glowbar, was home to the Lesbian and Gay Organization of Witwatersrand, founded by Simon Nkoli; [BWMT Releases Results of National HIV, Sex Survey] through a task force led by Reggie Williams; [Black Participation in AIDS Conference Highest Ever Despite Boycott; Fewer Black Gay Issues Presented / by Perry Lang] about the Sixth International AIDS Conference, protests of Health and Human Services Secretary Louis Sullivan, and the conference seeing presentations by community members from the African continent, the Caribbean, and the United States; [Minority AIDS Project Gets $ to Test, Counsel]; [Audre Lorde Conference Set for Boston in October]; [Blacks to Participate in 12th Health Conference] about the 12th National Lesbian and Gay Health Conference and 8th National AIDS Forum to be attended by Joyce Hunter and Rev. Renee McCoy; [Bronx AIDs Group Elects New Board of Directors]; [Castro Area Bar Pledges No More Discrimination / by Alan Smithee and Cornell Makonnen] about the bar Midnight Sun and usage of racist and sexist slurs by staff; [Prison Bans Interracial Novel by Black Gay Man] about Larry Duplechan’s Eight Days a Week; [Appeal Planned in Case of Black Gay PWA Who Got 25 Year Sentence for Bite He Says Never Happened]; [Milk Fills GLASS: $250] about the Southern California Harvey Milk Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club and Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services; [Black Parents Nix Book]; [Pat Norman Named to Mandela Committee]; [Black, Gay Defendants Charge HIV Harassment]; [CDC May Statistics on AIDS Cases in U.S.] [2 Plead Guilty in Death of Transvestite Hustler]; [ACLU Gives 1990 Rights Nod to Whoopi Goldberg]; [Search on for Missing Atlanta Black Gay Man]; [NABWMT Holds 10th Convention in San Francisco / by Colin Gibson] about the tenth annual convention of the National Association of Black and White Men Together, where Black gay activists praised and criticized the organization, debated the name change to Men of All Colors Together, and an appearance by Grupo Gay da Bahia Brazil. Those who spoke include Larry Saxxon, Cleo Manago, Brandy Moore, Dr. John Peterson, Luiz Mott, Bang Nguyen, Lóren Laureano, Urvashi Vaid, Tom Horan, Rev. Renée McCoy, and Pay and Karen Norman; and [African Group Gets Office] about the Township AIDS Project founded by Tseko Simon Nkoli and other black activists.
The section [BLK VEIL] is page 33 and lists seven obituaries: Stephen Anthony Church, William Lede Glover, Claudia Droyce Gregory, James Tyrone Mays, Jr. Esq., Michael Craig Robinson, Franklyn Seales, and Michael Louis Spain III. This is followed by the section [BLK ARTS] on page 35. The subsection [MUSIC NEWS] has one article titled [Purple Buckled Crotches / by Ron Smith]; and the subsection [DANCE MUSIC REVIEWS] has one article titled [British Soul fit for a Queen / by D.J. Marius]. This the gossip column [Read My Lips] written by Preston G. Guider on page 39. The issue concludes with the classifieds section [BLK MARKET], starting on page 41, with personal ads divided by gender, then international and U.S. regions.
The back cover is a full-page advertisement for [TALK LIVE!].
There are advertisements throughout, including: [Be A Buddy To Someone With AIDS] a support program by the AIDS Project Los Angeles; [EARLY INITIATION OF / ANTIVIRAL THERAPY] a patient workshop held by the Los Angeles Workshop; [Unity Fellowship Church / A Church for All People]; [ACCESS / The Center / The Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center] counseling services; [the BFP TEE]; [BLK SUBSCRIPTIONS / BLK CLASSIFIED ADS / BLK T-SHIRTS] payment options over phone; [“Keeping It Up” / A series of free workshops designed to / address coping with the crisis in our lives.] co-sponsored by The Center, the Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center; [COMPLETE AUTO DETAILING / TWO HOT HANDSOME MEN / WILL DETAIL YOU AUTO /BODY] by The Prestige Club Process; [THING / SHE KNOWS /WHO SHE IS] a Chicago-based underground zine; [The Black Men’s Dating / Service] dating form; BLK subscription ad; [SKIP AND BEAR / AND TOM AND HOMER: / WANT TO THANK…] a personal thank you ad; [Orange County Cultural Pride / Look to the Future / 2nd Annual OCCP Gay & Lesbian Pride Festival & Parade]; [THE FRIENDS OF BLK / invite you to / Laugh, Then Dance] benefit for the BLK community; [Buddies ‘n’ Pals / ‘n’ Partners] dating service for major cities in the U.S. and Canada; [Subscribe to the leading interracial gay magazine / QUARTLY INTERCHANGE]; [FOR BLACK GAY & / BISEXUAL MEN ONLY!] from the African American Men’s Health Project; [CHIRON RISING]; [A DIFFERENT LIGHT / Gay and Lesbian Literature]; [Come Out! / Come Home! / Fourth Annual National / Black Gay and Lesbian Conference and Institutes] sponsored by Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum in Los Angeles, CA; [970-WOLF]; [AIDS FUNDRAISING / An Open Letter To The Community] by The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (formerly the AIDS Hospice Foundation), Being Alive People with HIV/AIDS Action Coalition, The Minority AIDS Project, and the Los Angeles Shanti Foundation; [“Xperience the Xchange Xperience” / B.M.X. / Upcoming Events] with the Black Men’s Xchange support group; [HOT / TALKING / PERONSALS! / Connections USA]; [The Pleasure Chest Ltd.]; [976-HUNK]; ad for printing services by Louis; [ACT-UP/LA needs / your input • your leadership • your anger!]; [Black and White Men Together]; [Reactions]; [Chocolate Joy Productions]; and [GET A LITTLE… FUN!].
