11 Black LGBTQ+ Icons Who Paved The Way For The World We Live In Now

1.Miss Major Griffin-Gracy (1940–)

Born in 1940, Miss Major is a trans activist who not only was a part of the famed Stonewall Riots, but has spent every day since fighting for equality.

After bouts of homelessness and incarceration, Miss Major teamed with the Trans Gender Variant and Intersex Justice Project to help trans people in the prison system, who are often misgendered and face serious dangers in prison.

At 81, Miss Major currently lives in Little Rock, Arkansas, where she remains an activist.

2.Barbara Jordan (1936–96)

In 1966, Barbara Jordan became the first African American elected to the Texas Senate and, in 1972, became the first African American elected to Congress.

While she never came out, Jordan was open about her partner for over 30 years, Nancy Earl.

During her time in politics, Jordan became known for her eloquence and drive, delivering the opening remarks at the Watergate hearings and later being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994.

3.Marsha P. Johnson (1945–92)

One of the greatest pioneers in queer history, Johnson helped start the Gay Liberation Front after the Stonewall Riots and co-founded the radical activist group Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (S.T.A.R.), alongside Sylvia Rivera.

A devout activist her whole life, Johnson has become a queer legend for their selfless work and for helping ignite the modern queer rights movement.

4.Audre Lorde (1934–92)

Lorde's works remain in conversation because of their groundbreaking ideas on gender, race, sexuality, and classism.

A self-described "Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet," Lorde's works dared to define what it really meant to be a Black lesbian in America.

Lorde's acclaimed works include Zami: A New Spelling of My Name, Coal, The Black Unicorn, and The Cancer Journals.

5.Nina Simone (1933–2003)

The bisexual legend had a storied and complicated history, being torn by her sexuality regarding herself and her fame, and played an integral part of Black history during her time.

She was a known associate of James Baldwin, Angela Davis, and many other influential figures of the time who regarded her as a living legend.

With a large gay following, Simone often found herself at the New York gay bar, Trude Heller’s, during her lengthy career.

6.James Baldwin (1924–87)

An author and critic, Baldwin's writings on the experiences of a Black queer man have made him one of the greatest writers of the modern era.

His essay collection, Notes of a Native Son, and novel Giovanni's Room, catapulted him to success, establishing him as a prominent voice in the conversation around Black queer rights well before the queer liberation movement began.

Decades after his death, Baldwin's work is still celebrated, with his ruminations of life as a Black gay man still holding true for many today.

7.Willi Ninja (1961–2006)

While RuPaul's Drag Race would have you think that "death drops" are all it takes to be a vogue master, the art of vogueing goes back decades, being brought to the world stage by Willi Ninja.

Called "The Grandfather of Vogue," Ninja, father of the legendary House of Ninja, was one of the stars of Paris Is Burning, the revolutionary documentary about Black and brown queer people in the vogue scene of New York during the AIDS epidemic.

Ninja is a part of the primarily Black and brown queer legacy that has allowed vogueing and ballroom to remain a part of queer culture today.

8.Bayard Rustin (1912–87)

An LGBTQ+ rights activist, Rustin was an influential advisor to Martin Luther King Jr. and an organizer for the 1963 March on Washington.

An enormous influence on some of the greatest civil rights events of the 20th century, Rustin's sexuality was a cause for debate by others in the movement, but toward the end of his life, he began to openly fight for queer causes.

President Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor, after his death in 2013.

A film about his life and activism will be released later this year.

9.Gladys Bentley (1907–60)

Becoming famous during the Harlem Renaissance for her blues singing and gender-bending performances, Bentley became known as "Harlem's most famous lesbian" and was one of the greats during that time.

Appearing onstage with a top hat and tuxedo, Bentley was not the only queer star of the Harlem Renaissance movement, but did so while boldly being herself, despite backlash.

After the Harlem Renaissance, Bentley tried to find outside success, but the growing homophobic political environment left her with little success.

10.Angela Davis (1944– )

A controversial activist known for her radical teachings, Angela Davis has been a longtime supporter of the Communist Party and Marxism, while also supporting other socialism justice issues.

Davis has a storied life, having become known around the world for her activism and published works, which revolve around abolishing prisons, helping liberate Black and brown people, and other socialist ideals.

Davis was an honorary chair for the 2017 Women's March on Washington, has been inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame, and been declared Time's 1971 Woman of the Year and one of Time's 2020 People of the Year.

11.And lastly, Andrea Jenkins (1961–)

In November 2017, Andrea Jenkins became the first transgender Black woman elected to public office and one of the first transgender people elected to hold office in America after becoming a member of the Minneapolis City Council.

A poet and historian, Jenkins founded the Transgender Oral History Project at the University of Minnesota and has been a part of local activism for decades. She made history recently for becoming the first trans person to become the leader of a city council.

Make sure you head here for more of our Black History Month coverage!