Lucy Hicks Anderson (1886 - 1954)
Transgender before transgender was a word. She was a socialite, chef, and prohibition-era entrepreneur.
To learn more about her visit BlackPast.org
Bessie Smith (1894 - 1937)
A bisexual singer from the 20's and 30's known as "The Empress of the Blues".
To learn more about her life visit Biography.com
Josephine Baker (1906 - 1975)
A bisexual woman who became the first black international superstar. She was a singer, dancer, actress, activist, and spy.
To learn more about her visit WomensHistory.org
Gladys Bentley (1907 - 1960)
A “bulldagger”, butch lesbian, blues singer that was a top entertainer during the Harlem Renaissance. Known for her large size, gravelly voice, and white tuxedo.
To learn more about her visit BlackPast.org
Frida Kahlo (1907 - 1954)
An openly bisexual Mexican artist known for her self-portraits, passion, as well as her use of bold and vibrant colors.
To learn more about her visit FridaKahlo.org
Bayard Rustin (1912 - 1987)
A gay man, a civil rights organizer and activist. He is best known for working as an advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as well as being the primary organizer of the 1963 March on Washington.
To learn more about him visit them.us
Billy Strayhorn (1915 - 1967)
An openly gay man he was a composer, pianist, and arranger. Best known for his collaboration with the musician Duke Ellington.
To learn more about him visit BillyStrayhorn.com
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Chavela Vargas (1919 - 2012)
A lesbian that was a cultural icon across the Spanish-speaking world. A musician that redefined notions of beauty that bent gender roles. Her specialty was a traditional type of Mexican music called rancheras. She even had a relationship with Frida Kahlo.
To learn more about her visit MakingQueerHistory.com
James Baldwin (1924 - 1987)
An openly gay essayist, playwright, and novelist. He wrote several books during the Civil Rights Movement that were instrumental in understanding race relations in America.
To learn more about him visit OutHistory.org
Stormé DeLarverie (1924 - 1987)
A butch lesbian, singer, cross-dresser, and bouncer. She may have been the first to throw a punch during the 1969 uprising at Stonewall Inn.
To learn more about her visit BlackPast.org
Lorraine Hansberry (1930 - 1965)
She was a playwright and activist and she wrote 'A Raisin in the Sun’. She was the first black playwright and youngest American to win a New York Critics’ Circle award. She never publicly came out as a lesbian but did write several pieces of lesbian literature.
To learn more about her visit Biography.com
Audre Lorde (1934 - 1992)
A self-described “black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet”. She dedicated her life to addressing the injustices due to racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia.
To learn more about her visit PoetryFoundation.org
Nancy Cardenas (1934 - 1994)
One of the first “out” lesbian public figures in Mexico. She was a poet, journalist, playwright, and pioneer in the Mexican Gay Movement.
To learn more about her visit MakingQueerHistory.com
Barbara Jordan (1936 - 1996)
A lawyer, politician, and educator that dedicated her life to the fight for nationwide equality. She was the 1st black woman elected to the House of Representatives. She never “came out” publicly but had a long-term relationship with another woman.
To learn more about her visit History.House.gov
George Takei (Born 1937)
An openly gay man that suffered through two American concentration camps in his youth. He is an actor and activist known for playing Sulu on Star Trek.
To learn more about him visit Biography.com
Alvin Ailey (1939 - 1989)
A dancer and choreographer whose work continues to be performed around the world. His biggest accomplishment being the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre who employs dancers that stray from the normalized body types. He never publicly denounced his sexuality but he did maintain relationships exclusively with men throughout his adult life.
To learn more about him visit OutHistory.org
Miss Major Griffin-Gracy (Born 1940)
A transwoman veteran of the Stonewall Rebellion and a survivor of Attica State Prison. She is a former sex worker, an elder, a community leader, and an activist.
To learn more about her visit BeenHere.org
Ernestine Eckstein (1941 - 1992)
After earning a BA in Journalism and moving to New York City she became one of the very few lesbians of color to be publicly involved in the early gay rights movement.
To learn more about her visit LGBTQNation.com
Marsha P. Johnson (1945 - 1992)
A transwoman who was a driving force behind the Stonewall Riots in 1969. Thought to be the one who threw the first brick that sparked the riots. Along with another prominent figure created the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) to help transgender youth experiencing homelessness in New York City.
To learn more about her visit Biography.com
Ifti Nasim (1946 - 2011)
An openly gay Pakistani man he fled persecution and an arranged marriage in 1968. A poet, journalist, and advocate. He later wrote poetry in Urdu and Punjabi, as well as published a book of gay-themed poetry in Urdu that is thought to be the first published in the language.
To learn more about him visit BeenHere.org
Ron Oden (Born 1950)
He is not only the first African American man to be Mayor of Palm Springs, CA he is also the first openly gay man to do so. As Mayor, he worked diligently to promote diversity.
To learn more about him visit BlackPast.org
Sylvia Rivera (1951 - 2002)
A transgender woman who fought against the exclusion of transgender people, especially those people of color, from the larger gay rights movement. She was also a veteran of the 1969 Stonewall Inn uprising and along with Marsha P. Johnson created STAR, Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries.
To learn more about her visit WomensHistory.org
Phill Wilson (Born 1956)
He is an internationally renowned HIV/AIDS advocate and activist. He is the founder and former CEO of the Black AIDS institute. In 2010 he was appointed to the President’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS by President Obama.
To learn more about him visit Law.Berkeley.edu
Simon Nkoli (1957 - 1998)
A gay activist and anti-apartheid leader you fought for justice in South Africa during the anti-apartheid struggle. He was eventually arrested which caused a shift in both the anti-apartheid struggle and the gay liberation movement.
To learn more about him visit SAHistory.org
Andrea Jenkins (Born 1961)
She is a writer, poet, performance artist, and transgender activist. She is the first African American openly trans woman to be elected to office in the US.
To learn more about her visit AndreaJenkins.Webs.com
Willi Ninja (1961 - 2006)
The drag queen who brought “voguing” to the scene. Known as the “Grandfather of Vogue”, he quickly rose to distinction in the Harlem Drag Ball scene in the 80’s. He founded the House of Ninja and “adopted” and mentored a group of gay and transgender “children”.
To learn more about him visit OutHistory.org
Lori Lightfoot (Born 1962)
In 2019, she made history by becoming the first LGBTQ mayor of Chicago, the 3rd largest city in the country. Not only is she the first lesbian to hold the post but she is also the first African American woman to do so.
To learn more about her visit LGBTHistoryMonth.com
Alphonso David (Born 1970)
He is an accomplished LGBTQ civil rights lawyer and advocate. He is also the president of the Human Rights Campaign. As well as the first black and openly gay ma to serve as Chief Counsel to the governor of New York.
To learn more about him visit HRC.org
Laverne Cox (Born 1972)
She is a transgender actress and civil rights activist. She is the first openly transgender person to receive an Emmy Nomination and the first transwoman of color to have a leading role in a mainstream TV series.
To learn more about her visit LaverneCox.com
Janet Mock (Born 1983)
She is a transgender writer, director, and producer. As well as the first transperson to sign a production pact with a major studio. She is also a best-selling author of several books.
To learn more about her visit WomensHistory.org