Primary Source

This source is a newspaper article written in August 1993 about a benefit hosted by and for Black gay men suffering from AIDS in Philadelphia. The benefits went to the William J Craig foundation, which provides services to black people with AIDS. This article was written not only to document the event but to explain why these organizations exist separate from white-run AIDS organizations. The article goes into detail about why black gay men feel unwelcome in white gay spaces. It also quotes black gay men in the community and their experiences with discrimination. Specifically, the racism perpetuated by white gay men and the exclusion they experience from both communities. It also offers a potential explanation as to why black gay men do not get tested for AIDS as often. This article mainly focuses on the struggles of black gay men without including the struggles of black gay women. Black gay women are only mentioned when the article discusses the black gay population as a whole. Such as in the statistics of the black gay population of Philadelphia and a quote by the executive director of the NAACP at the time. This article is part of a larger digitized archive of articles in The Philadelphia Inquirer throughout the century. This article is part of a larger context to understand how the black queer community has been treated by the white queer community throughout the years. It also helps contextualize the anti-blackness that exists within queer culture.

Citation: Valbrun, Marjorie. “For Blacks with AIDS, a Party with Purpose.” The Philadelphia Inquirer. August 30, 1993. http://libproxy.temple.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.libproxy.temple.edu/historical-newspapers/august-30-1993-page-16-82/docview/1843626142/se-2?accountid=14270.