The History and Power of Queer Black Friendships
Four legendary creative collaborations
The first time I knew my words had triggered something deep in someone was when I finished a two-week summer writers workshop when I was 15. I climbed into my mother’s car, read her one of my poems, and watched her face change as she heard it. If my own flesh and blood could not wrap her head around my work, then I would have to search elsewhere for creative understanding.
As a Black teenager, I hungered for so many things, but one of the things I’m most proud that I’ve fought for over the years is the connection I’ve cultivated with other Black artists — especially queer Black artists.
So, in celebration of Black History Month, here’s a look at somewhat lesser-known, but still important, queer Black friendships.
1. James Baldwin and Eugene Worth
Last year, I wrote an essay for Catapult about Baldwin’s legacy. It began:
James Baldwin met Eugene Worth, a Black member of the Young People’s Socialist League, in December 1943, shortly after moving to Greenwich Village. The two were best friends and Black Socialists who dreamed of a better world. They battled landlords, worked jobs, were fired, and lived hungrily. Baldwin eventually became disillusioned…
