February, 2013: Black Queer History Month

February of every year is observed as Black History Month. During these 28 days, it's a time for all Americans, no matter their ethnicity, national origin or race, to take the opportunity to celebrate and examine the many contributions the African-American community have added to our national mosaic. It's a time to honor an important part of our collective past, present and future.

This month, as in the past, I like to offer on DQN In Northern Virginia a chance for all of us to explore our Black Queer heritage. That's the reason I refer to February as Black Queer History Month. Making this time relevant not only to our same gender loving community, but to our black naturist/nudist fraternity as well. Let's break it down and bring it home.

Each year I try to offer a different focus or theme for this occasion and 2013 Black Queer History Month is no exception. This time, I'll incorporate black queer bloggers as the feature with the underlying direction being our present. My rationale is while it's important to remember those who have come before us, it's equally right and good to honor those individuals who are significant in both our own time and our current lives. They are the men who are not only paving the way but also setting the standard for our future GLBT community.

The Black Queer History Month features will be featured weekly throughout February, every Friday beginning today. Other informative posts associated with this observance will be added as needed. I hope this format will offer all readers the chance to review new ideas and sample the thoughts and themes of a variety of different blogs and websites. A smorgasbord of contemporary black queer consciousness that is influencing and guiding our current GLBT culture.

The exception to this bloggers-only agenda is the piece for next Friday, February 8. That is a coming out story of former National Football League (NFL) player Wade Davis. In this entry, Davis discusses disclosing his being gay to his mother. I felt this reflection was important as more and more of our youth are actually coming out to their parent(s) every day. It isn't often that a sports celebrity is this candid about a personal and emotional event.

The Adinkra symbol pictured left is the sankofa. I'm using this emblem to tag all the articles that constitute the 2013 Black Queer History Month series. The Adinkra symbols are from the Akan tribes of West Africa, primarily from the modern nations of Ghana and Ivory Coast (Cote D'Ivoire). These depict the major concepts of the Akan proverbs that guide the tribal members through their daily lives. The sankofa represents the bird of paradise looking back over its' shoulder, searching for what it has left behind. The proverb reminds us that it is never too late to return to the past in order to learn from the days gone by. Similar to the modern adage, learn from your mistakes. Only with the sankofa, the message is to learn not just from mistakes but from successes as well. Bringing past knowledge into our present lives and situations. I chose this particular Adinkra symbol as I feel that our current bloggers of African descent are doing just that: sharing past wisdoms with their daily readers. In this context, modern authors are keeping history alive and relevant to the GLBT peoples of the current and successive generations. The sankofa tag will appear at the end of each article of this series.

Happy Black Queer History Month! Best wishes for a what-I-hope is an enlightening and interesting February heritage adventure.

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

Black Queer History Month Collage

(Clockwise)

Michael K. Williams: actor, gay drug dealer Omar on The Wire (2002-2007)

E. Patrick Johnson: author, "Sweet Tea: Growing Up Black and Gay In the South"

Monique: pop singer, said "Imagine if in all the black churches they started saying: let's love each other unconditionally. Let's not judge."

Bayard Rustin: aide to Dr. Martin L. King, Jr., organizer of the March on Washington

E. Lynn Harris: author of ten novels on modern gay life and one autobiography

John Amaechi: first professional NBA player to publicly come out

George Washington Carver: educator, scientist

Darryl Stephens, Jensen Atwood: actors, played gay lovers Noah and Wade on Logo TVs "Noah's Arc" (2005-2006)

RuPaul: drag queen, diva, entertainer, entrepreneur