Description
This is the 32nd issue of BLK magazine published July 1991. The front cover is printed in color and features an image of Emanuel Tapp. Standing centered in front of a slate-blue backdrop, Tapp is wearing a gold-colored chain necklace and a red V-neck shirt, pictured from the waist up. There are two individuals out of frame pointing guns at Tapp on either side of him: from the left is a hand visible only from the wrist forward pointing a black revolver; from the right is a hand only visible from the wrist forward pointing a black hand gun. At the top and centered, [BLK] is printed in bold, white, uppercase letters within a red rectangular box. Above the text box in small, yellow, uppercase letters it reads [THE NATIONAL BLACK LESBIAN AND GAY NEWSMAGAZINE], fitting across the length of the textbox. Outside of the upper right corner of the [BLK] text box is the magazine issue information; in small, white text it reads [Vol. 3, No. 7 / Whole No. 32 / July 1991]. At the center of Tapp’s chest, the headline is printed in in yellow text, [High Risk, Low Priority: / AIDS in the / Black Gay Community]. There are 48 numbered pages, stapled at through the fold, with articles, advertisements, classifieds, both colored and black and white photographs, and cartoon illustrations throughout.
The inside of the cover features an ad for the Minority AIDS project for a 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 seven short articles: [Rosa Parks, Assassin] about a teacher teaching misinformation, [Bimbos Diss BLK with Diarrhea] about the zine Bimbox, [The LAPD Talks that Talk] regarding Chief Daryl Gates, [Gay = AIDS and Prostitution] about PBS on lesbian and gay programming, [More Hateful Rap Lyrics] regarding John Blckham, Bust Down, ad Luther Campbell, [Penis Rides in Limousine] the third annual World AIDS Day in Amsterdamn, and [Why 15 Distribs Nixed ‘Paris’] about ‘Paris is Burning’ not having the film’s music cleared.
This is followed the [BLK] mast head on page 4. On the following page are two letters to the editor in the section [BLK MAIL].
The cover story, which begins on page 7, is titled [High Risk, Low Priority / Society Turns a Double Blind Eye on / AIDS in the black gay community], with a label headline [OVERVIEW]. Written by Michael Brode, the article covers the AIDS epidemic in the Black gay and lesbian community while acknowledging that the method of research resulted in more information on the former than the latter. Considering the societal structures of racism, sexism, homophobia, poverty, drug abuse, homelessness, Brode breaks down how this has impacted the increase of deaths due to AIDS among Black gay men. They discuss prevention and education versus care and treatment, the education gap, self-love, primary health care crisis, the culture gap, and leadership when it comes to addressing the epidemic.
A second feature story begins on page 15, titled [Pride and Prejudice / African-American Lesbians and Gay Men / Celebrate Coast to Coast], with a label headline [NEWS FEATURE]. Written by Mark Haile and Eric Washington, the article addresses the efforts and results of including Black lesbians and gay men in pride celebrations in cities across the United States such as New York City, Oakland/San Francisco, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Chicago, San Diego, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Several shorter articles appear under the section [BLK NEWS]. Beginning on page 21, these articles include: [Black Ministers Protest Lesbian, Gay Rights Bill] regarding legislation AB101 that would protect lesbians and gay men from job and housing discrimination in California, [Librarians Protest Use of Langston Hughes Poetry by Mark Haile] the Los Angeles Public Library faces backlash for identifying Hughes as a Black gay man, [L.A. County Sheriff Enforcement Efforts Fail to Spoil Merry Mood of 2000 at July 4th Malibu Beach Party by Mark Haile, Photos by Bruce Hunt], [Big Role for Women of Color in Troubled Confab by Alycee J. Lane] about the National Lesbian Conference and schedule omissions due to typographical errors, artists performances include Two Spirited Thunder People, the Washington Sisters, Lea Delaria, and the national agenda developed, [APLA Names Black Gay Man to Communications Post by Karen Ocamb] about Anthony Sprauve as the new communications director for AIDS Project Los Angeles, [ACT-UP Targets AMA for Protest at Annual Meeting by Antonio Sharp] about the American Medical Association, ACT-UP chapters protesting, and the Chicago Police Department, [Gentlemen Concerned Sponsors Garden Party] attendees included Dr. Wilbert C. Jordan, Phill Wilson, Rue Thaïs-Williams, Leslie Burke, and Dr. Natalie Sanders, [Farrington-Domingue Is New Task Force Co-Chair by Karen Ocamb] about Sandra Farrington-Domingue becoming the first person of color to co-chair the Gay and Lesbian Police Advisory Task Force, [Gay Writer Apologies for Article Thought Slanted] about how the ethnicity of individuals is reported in the Bay Area Reporter, specifically one article written by Dennis Conkin, [BMX Establishes Denver Chapter for Black Men], [CDC June Statistics on AIDS Cases in U.S], [D.C. Holds First Ever Black Lesbian, Gay Pride Day], with the theme “Let Us All Be Together,” coordinated by Welmore Cook, Theodore Kirkland, Ernest Hopkins, Carlene Cheatam, and with performers Melvin Parks, Halima Williams, and Sparkle Harris, and [Hemphill Appears in L.A.; Writing Events Slated] about Essex Hemphill presenting from the Black gay anthology “Brother to Brother.”
This is followed by [BLK VEIL] on page 31 and lists ten obituaries: Dr. Reginald D. Banks, Howard Benson, Dexter Freeman, Rudolf Gardner, Charles Edwin Garner, Cornelius Wesley Gilbert, Kevin Peter Hall, Chip LaGrange, William Thomas “Bill” Scales Jr., and Timothy L. Stephens III. A new section starts on page 32 called [BLK PEOPLE] about broad and general news regarding the Black gay and lesbian community. It is divided by city.
This is followed by the section [BLK ARTS] on page 34. The subsection [THEATER] has one article titled [Norman Is That You / EBONY SHOWCASE]; the subsection [MUSIC by D.J. Marius] has six album reviews: [Mica Paris / “CONTRIBUTION” (Island)], [Keith Washington / “MAKE TIME FOR LOVE” (Qwest/Warner Bros)], [Lisa Fischer / “SO INTENSE” (Elektra)], [Will Downing / “A DREAM FUFILLED” (Islands)], [John Lucien / “LISTEN LOVE” (Mercury)], and [Sissy Man Blues / Various Artists (Jass)].
A new section begins on page 37 called [Rules of the Game / by Emanuel] a new advice column addressing the complexities of life, with the first topic to be addressed [So you want a boyfriend, eh?]. The gossip column titled [Read My Lips] written by Preston G. Guider is on page 38. The issue concludes with the classifieds section [BLK MARKET] starting on page 41, with personal ads divided by gender, nation, then U.S. regions.
The back cover is a full-page advertisement for [Jewel’s Catch One / MEMBER’S / BEACH PARTY].
There are several advertisements throughout, including: [ORANGE COUNTY Celebrates / GAY & LESBIAN PRIDE]; [the / BFP TEE]; [NATALIE COLE]; [LIVING WITH HIV] by the American Social Health Association, National Association of People of AIDS, and Burroughs Welcome Co.; [PARIS IS burning / A Jennie Livingston film]; [BLACK BOTTOMS / presents a / BLK / SUMMER / JAM]; [THE BLACK GAY AND LESBIAN LEADERSHIP FORUM PRESENT / SARAFINA! / THE MUSICAL CELEBRATION]; [HOMBRES / ALL LATIN MEN!]; [Caribbean / HEAT Magazine]; [Being Alive / People with HIV/AIDS / Action Coalition / and / Black Gay & Lesbian / Leadership Forum / AIDS Intervention Team / PRESENT / BORN TO BE ALIVE!]; [WELCOME ABOARD SAN DIEGO! / BLACK MEN’S XCHANGE]; [Unity / Fellowship / Church / A Church for All People]; [THE / HOLLYWOOD / SPA / COMPOUND / A MAN’S PRIVATE PRESERVE]; [TALKING PERSONALS / Connections USA]; [THE CENTER / LEGAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT]; [WEST HOLLYWOOD / PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH]; [LAGADU / Lesbians and Gays of African Descent United]; [BLACK BOTTOMS / PRESENTS / Claudette]; [Serving the Needs / of the People / VISITING NURSE HOMES SERVICES]; [Subscribe to the leading interracial gay magazine / QUARTERLY INTERCHANGE]; [1-900-303-WOLF]; [THING / SHE KNOWS /WHO SHE IS]; [REACTIONS]; [THE WORLD’S / LARGEST AND FINEST / EROTIC / DEPARTMENT STORE / The Pleasure Chest Ltd.]; [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; [1-900-990-HEAT]; [ACT-UP/LA needs / your input • your leadership • your anger!]; [Black and White / Men Together]; [Gay & Lesbian Literature]; [GET A LITTLE… FUN!]; and [The Black Line].
