black Archives - Page 2 of 2

William Dorsey Swann: From slavery to queer freedom in 1880s as America’s first drag queen

by Kittredge Cherry | | April 1-15, Saints

Born into slavery, William Dorsey Swann became the first American to lead a queer resistance group, first to self-identify as a “queen of drag,” and first to use the U.S. legal system to defend the queer community. He battled police in a cream satin gown when they...

Black Jesus, Latinx Jesus, female Christ and other liberating visions join the gay Passion of Christ

by Kittredge Cherry | | Artists, Calendar, Featured, Passion of Christ: A Gay Vision

Liberating visions of Jesus as black, Latinx, Native American or female join with the gay Passion of Christ series to help people experience God more fully. “All people are made in God’s image, so it is important to envision Jesus as queer, black, brown, female and...

Marielle Franco: Brazilian LGBTQ activist fought for human rights

by Kittredge Cherry | | March 1-15, Saints

Marielle Franco was a queer Afro-Latina Brazilian politician and LGBTQ activist who fought for human rights. She was assassinated on March 14, 2018. Franco identified as bisexual. She and her partner, Mônica Tereza Benício, were planning to marry later that year....

Peter Gomes: Gay black Harvard minister preached “scandalous gospel”

by Kittredge Cherry | | Feb 16-29, Saints

Peter Gomes was a gay black Baptist minister at Harvard and one of America’s most prominent spiritual voices for tolerance. He came out in 1991 and used his national celebrity as a “gay minister” to make the religious case for LGBTQ people, even though he reportedly...

Ibrahim Farajajé: Queer theologian, AIDS activist, interfaith scholar, spiritual leader

by Kittredge Cherry | | Feb 1-15, Saints

Ibrahim Abdurrahman Farajajé was a queer theologian, HIV/AIDS activist, interfaith scholar, multi-ethnic artist, and spiritual leader. He died on Feb. 9, 2016 at age 63 in Oakland, California. Formerly known as Elias Farajajé-Jones, he was born on Dec. 19, 1952 and...

Desmond Tutu: Anti-apartheid Archbishop who stood for LGBTQ equality

by Kittredge Cherry | | Oct 1-15, Saints

Archbishop Desmond Tutu was a Nobel Peace Prize-winning South African activist for racial and LGBTQ equality. He was born Oct. 7, 1931 in Klerksdorp, in the South African state of Transvaal. Tutu famously fought apartheid, but he also worked passionately to support...

Queer Kwanzaa: Celebrating African American LGBTQ creativity, theology and books

by Kittredge Cherry | | Calendar, Dec. 16-31

Rare artworks of a queer black Jesus and a black gay church family are presented here along with new books and other black LGBTQ resources in honor of Kwanzaa. The week-long celebration of African American culture starts Dec. 26. Kwanzaa is rooted in African culture,...

Walatta Petros: African nun and saint with a female partner in 17th-century

by Kittredge Cherry | | Nov 16-30, Saints

Walatta Petros is a 17th-century Ethiopian nun and saint who had an intense lifelong friendship with another nun and led a successful movement to drive out foreign missionaries. Her feast day is Nov. 23. Her biography, written by her disciples just 30 years after her...

Chriton Atuhwera / Trinidad Jerry: LGBTQ Ugandan activist killed by homophobic attack

by Kittredge Cherry | | Saints

LGBTQ activist and Ugandan refugee Chriton Atuhwera, known online as “Trinidad Jerry,” died on April 12 from burn wounds sustained in a homophobic firebomb attack in a Kenyan refugee camp. He was 22. The attack occurred on Block 13, where approximately 300 LGBTQ...