Description
This is the 23rd issue of BLK Magazine published October 1990. The front cover, printed with a blue tint, features a black and white image of Phill Wilson from the chest up. Wilson’s arms are propped upright, with his hands clasped and his two indexed fingers extended. At the top and centered off to the left, [BLK] is printed in bold, white, uppercase letters within a blue rectangular box. The L and K are partially obscured by the image of Wilson. Above the text box in white, uppercase, small letters it reads [THE NATIONAL BLACK LESBIAN AND GAY NEWS MAGAZINE], fitting perfectly across the length of the textbox. In the upper, right corner is white, small text that reads [Vol. 2, No. 10 / Whole No. 23 / October 1990]. The headline, located below the [BLK] text box, is printed in black text and reads [Phill / Wilson / THE NEW AIDS / COORDINATOR / FOR THE CITY / OF LOS / ANGELES]. At the bottom is blue text announcing the contents of the issue: [NEWS / CARTOONS / WORD UP / READ MY LIPS / CLASSIFIEDS]. There are 40 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’s free, anonymous, AIDS antibody test [WHAT’S WORSE… / 20 MINUTES OF FEAR AND WORRYING OR… / A LIFETIME OF FEAR AND WORRYING? CONSIDER GETTING THE AIDS ANTIBODY TESTED TODAY.]. The content opens with the section titled [Word Up / News of the Outrageous, the Amusing, the Pathetic and the Unexpected] by Leon Miller with four short articles: [‘Basic’ Lessons] about Disney’s starting a hardcore tap record label called Hollywood Basic, [Edutainment] KRS-One and Boogie Down Production’s lyric decisions, [Story on Gays and Lesbians in ‘Ebony’] about the article by Dr. Alvin F. Poussaint in the September issue, and [Quote without Comment] about Whitney Huston addressing her sexuality. The section ends with [Tell the Tale] which encourages readers to submit a funny, strange, or odd story to the publication, reminding them it should be both Black and gay or lesbian related.
This is followed by [JUMP START] on page 4, with founder and editor Alan Bell addressing the importance of language, specifically the reclaiming and owning words of identity. On the same page and to the left is a column for the BLK mast head and below is the [CONTENTS], listing the one cover story and eight departments, or sections. On the following page is one letter to the editor in the section [BLK MAIL].
The cover story, which begins on page 7, is titled [Phill Wilson / L.A.’s new AIDS coordinator talks about disease / and the challenges of his life] with the label headline [THE BLK INTERVIEW]. Conducted and written by Karen Ocamb, Wilson talks about his upbringing, his late partner Chris Brownlie, the organization Black and White Men Together, Ron Grayson and the New Alliance Party, the Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum conferences, Cleo Manago, Wilson’s political and social stance, facing racism and homophobia, becoming the Los Angeles City AIDS coordinator, the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and hope for the future. One quote from the article is printed in a larger font: [“When we cannot reach the enemy, we make the enemy those we can reach.”].
Several shorter articles appear under [BLK NEWS] beginning on page 18. These include: [New Book Speculates Martin Luther King’s Sexuality / by Richard Prince], [Memphis Lesbians, Gays Form New Black Group] called the Black Gay and Lesbian Alliance for Dignity with Tony Horne and Joy Booker, [New People of Color Org Forms in Kansas City] about six African American and Latino lesbians and gays creating the Lesbian and Gays of Color organization, [New York to Get New Monthly POC Publication] about Mama Doesn’t Know! Productions creating a publication called Rainbow Connections, [AIDS Stings Ivory Coast] in a study by Dr. Kevin De Cook, [South Africa Celebrates First Ever Pride Parade / by Rex Wockner] organized by the Gay and Lesbian Organization of Witwatersrand with Tseko Simon Nkoli and Donne Rundle reading a manifesto and messages of support, [Sire 900 Line Profits Slated for AIDS Group] the Sire Records and Access USA project was coordinated by Randy Morrison, [Fox TV Skit Outs Actor / by Rex Wockner] about the segment “Men On…” in In Living Color regarding Arnold Schwarzenegger, [Lazarus Project Brings Church to County Jail] 100 gay incarcerated persons attending interdenominational services, [AmFAR Gives Seattle’s POCAAN $ for AIDS Ed] about the American Foundation for AIDS Research awarding money to People of Color Against AIDS Network, [D.C. Assaults Rise but Blacks Less Likely to Report] regarding the increase of anti-gay violence and the work being done by D.C. Council of Black Gay Men and Women and member Philip E. Pannell, and the [CDC August Statistics on AIDS Cases in U.S.].
The section [BLK VEIL] starts on page 28 and lists eight obituaries: Walter Rico Burrell, Thommie Bush, Michael William Clark, David N. Edmonds, Mack McKinley Garrison, Michael Alan Martin, Fred Burton Steen, and Lyle Edmon Warfield. This is followed by the gossip column titled [Read My Lips] written by Preston G. Guider on page 31. The issue concludes with the classifieds section [BLK MARKET] starting on page 32, with personal ads divided by gender, nation, then U.S. regions.
The back cover is a full-page advertisement for [The Black Line].
There are advertisements throughout, including: [THINK / ABOUT IT: / Deciding to take the test.] by the Gay Men’s Health Crisis; [HAIR-O-DYNAMICS / by Chazz]; [Keith Medical Group]; [I’ve always said, / “If I ever got / AIDS, I don’t / know what / I’d do.” / I was right.] ad stating the mission of AIDS Project Los Angeles; [La Mirage]; [Jewel’s Catch One / Thanksgiving / Marathon / Party / The Halloween Ball] and [Jewel’s Room] list of weekly event occurring below Jewel’s Catch-One; [Eastside AIDS-THON] by AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION; [LACE, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions: / ALL BUT THE OBVIOUS: A Program of Lesbian Art]; [YOU MAY GET / MORE THAN HIGH / HIGH = / HIGH RISK]; [The more you put the / “word out” about / Black Men’s Dating Service]; [ACT-UP/LA needs / your input • your leadership • your anger!]; [ARE YOU SHOOTING HEROIN? / ARE YOU INTERESTED IN FREE / AND CONFIDENTIAL METHADONE / TREATMENT?? / THE UCLA PROJECT MAY HAVE / A FREE SLOT FOR YOU!]; [The / Hollywood / Spa / Compound / A Man’s Private Preserve]; [A DIFFERENT LIGHT / Gay and Lesbian Literature]; [Black and White Men Together]; [Buddies ‘n’ Pals / ‘n’ Partners] dating service for major cities in the U.S. and Canada; [The Pleasure Chest Ltd.]; two meetings by hosted by GMHC [MEN / MEETING / MEN // EROTICIZING / SAFER / SEX]; [BLACK / HAIR CARE / RICKY]; [FOR BLACK GAY & / BISEXUAL MEN ONLY!] from the African American Men’s Health Project; [COMPLETE AUTO DETAILING / TWO HOT HANDSOME MEN / WILL DETAIL YOU AUTO /BODY] by The Prestige Club Process; [ADODI PHILADELPHIA / FAMILY REUNION / GETTING BACK TO OUR ROOTS]; [Unity Fellowship Church / A Church for All People]; [The Center / Legal Services Department]; BLK subscription ad; [Come Out! / Come Home! /THE Fourth Annual National / Black Gay and Lesbian Conference and Institutes] sponsored by Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum in Los Angeles, CA; [B.M.X. / A Black on Black / Xchange for a / “Change”]; [ALL NEW! / The Magazine / For the Gay Nineties / GENRE]; [DATING & INTIMACY / GMHC]; [MEN OF COLOR / Vega Studios / An essay on the Black Male Couple]; [THE BODY BLACK CALENDAR 1991]; [970-WOLF]; [HOT / TALKING / PERSONALS! / Connections USA]; [976-HUNK]; [THE / BFP TRIBUNE / Rimming the World for News!]; [GET A LITTLE… FUN!]; and [TALK LIVE!].
