Fascinating Virtual Archive of Black LGBTs on Chicago's South Side

If there is one thing that you read today make sure that it's "Queer Bronzeville", a brilliant virtual history of black gays, lesbians and transgenders on Chicago’s South Side.

The online exhibit focuses on the Chicago's original black community on the South Side and was created by Tristan Cabello, a doctoral candidate at Northwestern University. The wiki is a collection of more than 100 historical documents—including photographs, videos, maps, interviews and articles. Cabello shows "the visibility of queers on Chicago’s South Side, and their relative acceptance" from the turn of the century to the early 1980s. That was the beginning of the AIDS crisis, when homophobia and anti-gay attitudes toward gays began creeping across society. Cabello writes from the 1920s to 1940s ...

Homosexuality was quietly accommodated. Bronzeville’s most powerful inhabitants (Reverend Clarence Cobb, Reverend Mary G. Evans, and possibly Louise Smith Collier) and its most famous musicians (Tony Jackson, Rudy Richardson, Sippie Wallace, Frankie “Half-Pint” Jaxon, and George Hannah) were homosexuals. Joe Hughes, owner of a popular homo-friendly bar, was elected honorary mayor of Bronzeville in 1940. Journalist Theodore Jones regularly hired drag queen Valda Gray’s troupe of female impersonators for parties given for Bronzeville’s upper class.

There is also a fascinating history on Broneville's many black gay and lesbian religious leaders, such as Reverend Clarence Cobbs seen below, the head of the First Church of Deliverance, described as "the most popular church in Bronzeville."

Cabello writes: "While he never publicly revealed or discussed his homosexuality, neither did he hide it. Cobb’s homosexuality was well known within the Bronzeville community: historian Timuel Black claimed that 'Cobbs was gay,'  adding that 'everybody knew about it.' Bronzeville old-timers remember a choir filled with gay men and vacation trips that Cobb would take with his male “assistant;” which led historians such as Wallace Best to claim that Cobb 'lived openly, yet silently.' "

Another incredible tidbit are advertisements reprinted from Chicago's black press, dating from the 1920s to the late 1970s, for gay clubs and drag shows. There are also many newspaper clippings on gay subjects dating back to the 1910s.

Unfortunately the laissez-faire attitude toward gays, lesbians and transgenders in the black community would end. Attitudes began changing during the 1950s as the Civil Rights Movement approached. Church and community leaders began promoting bourgeois, "middle-class values [and] led many gays and lesbians to be careful about acting on their sexuality, or to limit their sexual relationships to other cities. For example, Reverend Cobb started giving homophobic sermons in the mid-forties but was known to have gay sexual partners in many other cities."

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Queer Bronzeville [OutHistory]

Comments

[Junior]

**waving fan***

You'd better testify Rev Kev!

What a fabulous inspiration for pride! I love it, I love it! And yes, I appreciate this online because everyone can get at it (and free!) but I would live to see this in a book! And one for every major city, why not?

Thank you Tristan Cabello! I am just leaving the cube farm and will enjoy your archive with a beautiful glass of pinot grigio.

Rod you are lettin' the queens have it. I love the diversity of this effin' site :)

[Simpson]

Dear Tristan Cabello,

You created an outstanding exhibit. This should be celebrated and cherished.

Congratulations and thank you for making my pride!

Simpson
Born and raised in Bronzeville
Graduate of Dusable High School '85

[Devin]

this exhibit is phenomenal.

'nuff said

[QH]

Wunderbar! Clicking link now, can't wait to see the whole exhibit! Great post Rod! Thanks!-QH

[Christian Lebeija]

that picture at top says it all. the "children" have been out and proud for decades, my sistahs and aunts have told me for years. now you can see for yourself, trust and believe!

it's only in recent times we went back in the closet.

i am "devouring" this history of QUEER bronzeville. that is what they called it back then and that brings everybody under the umbrella! i love it that my "t" sistahs were reppin' hard back in the day.

werk rod, werk!

[alicia banks]

rod!

thanks!

i will read this asap

ab
chi-town homie!

[blkbandit]

some of dude looks like obama. no wonder there are so many gay rumors about him.

[Jim]

Thanks for posting this, Rod. The stuff from the ’10s and ’20s is particularly fascinating.

What a treat, too, to see videos of people I haven’t talked to in years!

[divaROSSishere!]

Decades later and (black) gays still aren't liberated will this be true in 2050?

[daskorpian]

awesome post!

[Anthony in Nashville]

Like Rod said, this is a fascinating piece of history.

We need to know more about how black LGBTs lived in previous eras, so that we may use their experiences to improve our current situation.

[Luvleo]

blacks wake up and understand what you read.....stop jumping on the band wagon of explotation??

Is this a new trend? DO NOT leave screen names with question marks or symbols. I gave you a s/n based on your email. Use this or make a new one. -RM