12 Black LGBTQ figures you should know

Frank OlitoFeb 3, 2021, 21:23 IST

Audre Lorde used her poetry as a form of activism.Robert Alexander / Getty

Throughout history, there are Black LGBTQ figures you should know.
James Baldwin, Alvin Ailey, and Audre Lorde were influential artists and writers.
Today, Laverne Cox, RuPaul, Janet Mock, and Lori Lightfoot are important figures.

History books often leave out the vital roles Black LGBTQ people have played in American history.

From activists to performers, people like James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and Bayard Rustin have paved the way for two marginalized communities. Today, figures like Janet Mock and Lena Waithe have picked up where the others left off.

From the 1920s to today, here are 12 influential Black LGBTQ figures you should know about.

Gladys Bentley was once known as the most popular Black entertainer in the US.

Harlem in the 1920s. Bettmann / Getty

James Baldwin is one of the most important and influential American writers.

James Baldwin. Sophie Bassouls / Getty

Alvin Ailey was a pioneer in the world of American dance.

Alvin Ailey. Keystone / Getty

Bayard Rustin was an LGBTQ advocate who worked closely with Martin Luther King, Jr.

Bayard Rustin. AP Photo

Marsha P. Johnson played a key role at the historic Stonewall Riots.

Marsha P. Johnson. Netflix

Audre Lorde was an influential poet who focused on sexual orientation and race in her work.

Audre Lorde. Jack Mitchell / Getty

RuPaul has become one of the most recognizable faces of the LGBTQ community.

RuPaul. Dan MacMedan/Getty Images

Laverne Cox is the first transgender actress to be nominated for an Emmy.

Laverne Cox. JC Olivera / Getty Images

Michael Sam was the first openly gay man to be drafted into the NFL.

Michael Sam. Reuters

Lena Waithe is making waves as a TV writer, telling Black stories.

Lena Waithe. Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

Janet Mock is a transgender trailblazer who works behind the scenes in the TV industry.

Janet Mock. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Lori Lightfoot became the first openly gay mayor of Chicago.

Lori Lightfoot. AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

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