D.C. (District of Columbia) Black Pride is the first official
black gay pride
The black gay pride movement is a movement within the United States and elsewhere for black members of the LGBT community. Started in the 1990s, Black Gay Pride movements began as a way to provide black LGBT people an alternative to the large ...
event in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...
and one of two officially recognized festivals for the
African-American LGBT community
The African-American LGBT community, otherwise referred to as the Black LGBT community, is part of the overall LGBT culture and overall African-American culture. The initialism ''LGBT'' stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. A la ...
. It is a program of the
Center for Black Equity (CBE) and is also affiliated with the Capital Pride Alliance. DC Black Pride is held annually on
Memorial Day
Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have fought and died while serving in the United States armed forces. It is observed on the last Monda ...
weekend.
History
Washington, D.C.
)
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, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
had long been a popular destination for black
LGBT
' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.
The LGBT term i ...
people as a result of its large black LGBT community and
progressive reputation. Since 1978, DC has been home to the nation's first black LGBT political advocacy group called the D.C. Coalition of Black Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals.
The first DC Black Pride was created by Welmore Cook, Theodore Kirkland, and Ernest Hopkins in collaboration with the DC Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gay Men and the Inner City AIDS Network. Planning was done over about three months. It was held in May 1991 as "Let's All Come Together, Black Lesbian and Gay Pride Day".
The event focused on raising funds for
HIV/AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ...
organizations serving the local LGBT African-American community.
About 800 people attended.
In 1992 the event, now run by the nonprofit "Black Lesbian & Gay Pride Day, Inc." (BLGPD), spanned over multiple days.
Events included the first Washington screening of
Marlon Riggs
Marlon Troy Riggs (February 3, 1957 – April 5, 1994) was a Black gay filmmaker, educator, poet, and activist. He produced, wrote, and directed several documentary films, including ''Ethnic Notions'', '' Tongues Untied'', ''Color Adjustment'', ...
' film
Tongues United.
The success of the event inspired the creation of elaborate annual official black pride events in other major cities across the country. Annually, over 40,000 is expected which establishes it as the second largest black pride festival in the world.
In 2018 a documentary about the event's history, ''DC Black Pride: Answering the Call'', was premiered over Memorial Day weekend.
The event was not held in 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it returned in-person in 2022.
See also
*
Capital Pride (Washington, D.C.)
*
Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C.
*
Ball culture
The Ballroom Scene (also known as the Ballroom community, Ballroom culture, or just Ballroom) is an African-American and Latino underground LGBTQ+ subculture that originated in New York City. Beginning in the late 20th century, Black and Lati ...
*
Black gay pride
The black gay pride movement is a movement within the United States and elsewhere for black members of the LGBT community. Started in the 1990s, Black Gay Pride movements began as a way to provide black LGBT people an alternative to the large ...
*
Atlanta Black Pride
Atlanta Black Pride started in 1996 and is one of two officially recognized festivals for the African-American LGBT community. It is held in Atlanta each year at the end of August and beginning of September (week of Labor Day holiday). Atlanta Bl ...
*
UK Black Pride
UK Black Pride (UKBP) is a black gay pride event in London that has taken place since 2005. It is Europe's largest celebration of African, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American and Caribbean heritage lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and qu ...
External links
Official WebsiteDC Black Pride: Answering the Call
References
External links
Official websiteDC Black Pride History
1991 establishments in Washington, D.C.
African-American history of Washington, D.C.
African-American LGBT organizations
LGBT African-American culture
LGBT culture in Washington, D.C.
{{AfricanAmerican-stub
LGBT festivals in the United States