Blacks, gays and the Black Panther Party

In June, shades – Celebrating All Women of Color –Magazine (of which I am CEO/Editor-in-Chief) served as a media sponsor for the 2013 San Francisco Pride Celebration and Parade. Now heading into its 44^th year, the nonprofit organization continues to educate and positively highlight the heritage and culture of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities around the globe.

We were impressed by the way the organization embraced more than its “historically” white, male members. The group reached out to the LGBT and ally communities – all under the supervision of then-Board President Lisa Williams, an African-American lesbian (she is currently the Interim CEO of the organization).

Recently a friend shared an article with me that gave me a new respect for SF Pride and its work to bring people together and the work of other organizations that strive to break down the barriers that many in society still try to build up.

The article, “The Women's Liberation and Gay Liberation Movements,” is a 1970 speech
given by Huey Newton, founder of the Black Panthers. It appeared on the “Sons of Malcolm” blog by Sukant Chandan.

Did you know the Black Panther Party marched in the first SF gay parade? Are you aware that despite his personal questions on why a person may be “homosexual,” Newton understood that a person’s human rights outweighs how he or she is viewed by society.