Black & LGBTQI History Timeline

A Project of Metropolitan Community Churches

Honoring the Contributions of Black & LGBTQI People to the Vision of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “World House” and the global mission of Metropolitan Community Churches

Overview of the Project

by Rev. Dr. Cindi Love, Executive Director

This project honors the lives and contributions of Black & LGBTQI people who have served as lay and clergy leaders for the movement and ministry of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches worldwide.  The project has two aspects:

Creation of a timeline of contributions of Black & LGBTQI people adapted from the Black History Project and MCC’s own Oral History and Archives Project titled “In Our Own Words - MCC”.

A brief narrative drawn from the vision of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, jr. of a “world house” and the story of one of our clergy leaders, Rev. Carolyn Mobley.

We hope that the time line and the narrative will encourage you to visit “In Our Own Words - MCC” and add your own story and that of people you know who have contributed so much to our work worldwide.

The timeline presented here is not intended to be comprehensive and it is possible that there are errors in dates, times and information.  We apologize in advance for those and ask you to help us correct those by contacting kathybeasley@mcchurch.net.

We recently published 40 Years of Faith, Hope & Love, a companion to “In Our Own Words - MCC” and we hope you will order a copy for your library.  Proceeds support the oral history and archive project for MCC and pay the expenses of our representatives to the LGBTQI Religious Archives in Chicago.  Angel Collie is our representative this year.

Narrative

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote an article entitled “Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?” in which he described his vision of a “world house” in which we have to live together — black and white, Easterner and Westerner, Gentile and Jew, Catholic and Protestant, Muslim and Hindu — a family unduly separated in ideas, culture and interest, who, because we can never again live apart, must learn somehow to live with each other in peace.

Today, we honor Dr. King’s vision and, specifically, the contributions of Black Americans to the advancement of this vision and the ministry and movement of Metropolitan Community Churches.

Our denomination was born in the year that Dr. King died.  In that same year, one of our clergy leaders, Rev. Carolyn Mobley was a student at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas.

She was the first black female to live in a dormitory on that campus and later became the first black female to serve in the Home Mission for the Southern Baptist Convention.

When Dr. King was assassinated, the United States flag was taken to half-mast around the United States.  The campus at Hardin-Simmons did not lower its flag and Rev. Carolyn and other students went to the front lawn of the university president’s home and held a vigil to insist that the flag be lowered in honor of the passing of Rev. Dr. King.

Their vigil worked and the flag was lowered.

Later, when Rev. Carolyn was asked to leave the Southern Baptist Convention due to her sexual orientation, MCC was blessed to receive her and we continue to receive that blessing today as she serves in ministry to our community throughout the world.  Many of you may not know that Rev. Carolyn is the pastor who voluntarily assists me with crisis intervention calls that come to our office.  She just completed her interim ministry in Tulsa, OK and has relocated to Atlanta where her partner, Adrain Bowie, is a student at Chandler.

The work that Rev. Carolyn began in Abilene, Texas in 1967 when she entered that dormitory lives on today.  She did not know about MCC when she took her first step on to the lawn of the university president to insist in a nonviolent way that honor be given to Dr. King.  However, I like to think that she was already manifesting the unique character and conviction of our ministry which was born during the civil rights era.  She was already tearing down walls and building up hope in the rural South for black people and for LGBTQI people.  On January 20, 2009, I received a call from Rev. Carolyn and her partner, Adrain.  They were standing in a crowd in Washington, D.C. watching the inauguration of President Barack Obama.  She said, “It was just so thrilling, a mass of humanity, but all peaceful, cooperative.  Let us pray that this way of being can continue.”

Forty years later, Rev. Carolyn is still doing the work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and our own Rev. Elder Troy Perry–praying for peace and a world house where we can live together in peace and showing up in solidarity with those who seek that peace.

Indeed, her prayer is our prayer for our nation and for the world and for our denomination and all of its member churches.  This prayer can be realized in our lives with intention and attention to the specific call we have to represent love and radical inclusivity in the world.

How can we manifest this prayer?  By showing up like Rev. Carolyn did.  By being willing to be the first in an uncomfortable situation.  By being people of peace and effective conversation with our neighbors.  By refusing to participate in any effort to make others invisible.

Sometimes, we can practice our prayer through local media and when we get this chance, we need to take it.

I recently wrote an article for the Abilene Reporter News which was a little hard for some people to receive because I focused on Dr. King’s intent to include LGBTQI people in his “world house” because he chose Bayard Rustin, an openly gay man, as his key adviser. Rustin organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the 1963 March on Washington where King gave his immortal “I Have A Dream” speech. I speak about Rustin when I speak about Dr. King because it discourages Rustin’s invisibility.

We know how important it is to acknowledge the presence and contributions of people of color, same-gender loving people, LGBTQI people in all of the communities where we serve around the world as well lest they remain invisible.

Today, we are doing that important work by launching our celebration of Black History Month in the United States.  We are celebrating by intentionally taking time to remember the contributions of our Black and LGBTQI lay and clergy leaders without whom MCC would not exist and could not exist today as the inclusive “world house” of prayer for all people that it strives to be.

Timeline

(Adapted from the Black History Project and www.inourownwordsmcc.org)

1782

Deborah Sampson disguises herself as a male and enlists in the Continental forces under the name of Robert Shurtleff. Sampson’s gender is discovered when she is hospitalized for wounds suffered in battle near Tarrytown, NY. Some historians believe that Deborah Sampson was African American.

1790

George Middleton, leader of The Bucks of America, an all-black Revolutionary War regiment, and Louis Clapion, a French mulatto hairdresser build and live together in the oldest standing house on Beacon Hill, at 5 Pinckney St.

1860

Edmonia Lewis, African American/Native American sculptor, known for her masculine dress, studies and works in Boston. It was in Boston that she meets the group of feminists and artists, headed by actress Charlotte Cushman, with whom she is to live for several years in Rome.

1880

Angelina Weld Grimke, (often confused with her famous aunt, the white abolitionist Angelina Grimke Weld), is born in Boston into a distinguished biracial family. Grimke becomes a teacher and a poet of the Harlem Renaissance. Her love poems are written to women. “…Oh Mamie, if you only knew how my heart beats when I think of you, and it yearns and pants to gaze– if only for one second– upon your lovely face.”

1920

An artistic movement in New York that becomes known as the Harlem Renaissance establishes the reputation of such writers, artists, and musicians as Gladys Bentley, Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Countee Cullen, Claude McKay, Ethel Waters, and Langston Hughes.

1926

Publication of Smoke, Lilies, and Jade in Fire!!! makes Richard Bruce Nugene the father of African American gay male literature.

1938

  • Playland, Boston’s oldest continually operating gay bar, serves a more diverse clientele than any other bar in Boston. It closes in 1999 when the owner takes advantage of the skyrocketing property values in the neighborhood.
  • The first issue of Midtown Journal, a weekly South End scandal sheet, is published. Although not a gay paper, it is the primary source of information for gay men and lesbians about gay life in Boston. The uniquely descriptive paper includes information about the working class, bohemian, and racially mixed South End neighborhood. The paper ceases publication in 1966.

1939

From October 1939 to April 1940 doctors at Worcester State Hospital administers experimental sex hormones to “treat” a black gay man.

1950

  • The Napoleon Club, Boston’s second oldest gay club regularly features Sidney, was an African American piano player and singer. His favorite song was Stranger in Paradise.
  • Knights of the Clock, an interracial group of heterosexual and homosexual men and women, incorporates in Los Angeles.

1953

James Baldwin publishes his first novel, Go Tell It On the Mountain. During the 60s Baldwin is a leading spokesman for the civil rights movement.

1959

Lorraine Hansberry’s Raisin in the Sun opens on Broadway. Hansberry, is the youngest American and first black playwright to win the New York Drama Critics Award for the Best Play of the Year.

1960

Cavana’s, a racially mixed lesbian bar on Tremont St. has a reputation for being one of the roughest bars in town. For a short time the St. Moritz, housing another lesbian bar, is two doors away. Cavana’s is torn down during urban renewal.

1963

Bayard Rustin, the prime architect of the 1963 March on Washington and aide to Martin Luther King, Jr. from 1955 to 1960, helps organize the Montgomery bus boycott in response to the rufusal of Rosa Parks to ride in the back of the bus.

1966

The North American Conference of Homophile Organizations adopts the slogan “Gay is Good” after “Black is Beautiful.”

1967

Rev. Carolyn Mobley became the first African-American woman to reside in a dormitory on the campus of Hardin-Simmons University, part of the Southern Baptist Convention.

1968

  • The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches is founded by Rev. Troy Perry in Los Angeles.
  • Rev. Carolyn Mobley joined other students in a public action in Abilene, Texas to insist that the United States flag be flown at half-mast following the assasination of Baptist minister and activist,  Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Robert Ennis joined MCC of LA and became the first secretary to Moderator Rev. Elder Troy Perry.
  • John Logan joined MCC LA and became Deacon in the Congregation where he continues as member today.

1969

Rioting between patrons and police at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, NYC marks the unofficial beginning of the gay civil rights movement.

1970

  • Megorah Kennedy, black activist and minister, speaks out with the Homophile Union of Boston on radio shows and at public forums concerning homosexuality. In 1971, she is a keynote speaker at the first Pride march in Boston.
  • Jimmi Irving joins MCC LA as Minister of Music.
  • MCC is incorporated in the State of California.

1974

  • Combahee River Collective is founded to work on African-American women’s issues. During its six years of existence, this group works on issues including violence against women, racism, sexism and heterosexism and reproductive rights.
  • Rev. Sylvanus Maduka is licensed for MCC ministry in Nigeria where he continues today.

1974

Black lesbians are active in the formation of the National Black Feminist Organization.

1975

The first black men’s group in New England forms in Boston. The Black Men’s Caucus is organized to support non-white gay and bisexual males “aiding the black gay individual to assert his own identiry and develop a sense of acceptance among gay and bisexual men in the black community.”

1976

  • Barbara Jordan, a congressional representative from 1972-1978, delivers the keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention. She is one of fourteen people Jimmy Carter considers for Vice President.
  • During the decade of the 1970’s, Rev. Delores “Dee” Jackson was licensed and ordained for ministry in the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, and:
  • Rev. La Paula Turner was licensed and ordained for ministry in the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.
  • Rev. Lucia Chappelle was licensed and ordained for ministry in the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.
  • Franklin Calvin joined the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches in LA.  He now serves as a denominational team member in Abilene, TX with his partner, Frank Zerilli, who serves as Confidential Assistant to the Founding Moderator and archivist.
  • Rev. Emmett Watkins was ordained for ministry in the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.  He died in August of 1990.
  • Darlene Garner joined the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches in Washington, DC.  She now serves on the Board of Elders.

1978

  • National Coalition of Black Gays is formed.  The seven founders included five MCC members: Rev. Delores Berry, Darlene Garner, Gil Gerald, Louis Hughes, and Rev. Renee McCoy.
  • Rev. Elder Troy Perry, First Moderator of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, attends the swearing in of Harvey Milk as Supervisor in San Francisco.  Following this ceremony, Milk, Rev. Perry and representatives from groups  “on the margin” confer about next steps following the Briggs Initiative battle.
  • Rev. Elder Troy Perry later attends the memorial for Harvey Milk following his assassination.  This loss galvanized many groups of people to action.
  • Rev. Barbara Haynes was ordained during this era and served as clergy for the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches for many years.  She is retired and attends MCC LA.

1979

  • Bessie Smith Memorial Collective, a coalition of Black, Third World, and White Women host over 200 people at a Boston forum on racism. Varied Voices of Black Women: an Evening of Words and Music with Linda Tillery, Mary Watkins, Gwen Avery, and Pat Parker is held.
  • The First National Third World Lesbian and Gay Conference, organized by the National Coalition of Black Gays, is held during the first annual March on Washington in October.
  • Mel King announces candidacy for Boston’s mayoralty. He expresses commitment to the “entire diversity of the city — and that includes gays.” The Gay Caucus for Mel King is formed.

1980

  • Boston branch of Black and White Men Together is founded to provide support to black men in interracial relationships. The organization is now called Men of All Colors Together.
  • A contingent of Third World women organize to march in Boston’s Pride celebration.

1981

This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color is published by Persephone Press, a lesbian feminist publisher in Watertown, Massachusetts.

1982

African American poet, writer, and activist Audre Lorde publishes her biomythography Zami: A New Spelling of My Name.

1983

Barbara Smith’s Home Girls is published by Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press.

1984

Black and White Men Together distribute “Boston Bar Study” a survey of discrimination in Boston’s gay bars.

1985

  • Breaking the Chains-Making the Link, sponsored by the Boston Rainbow Coalition, holds a meeting at the Harriet Tubman House to encourage solidarity among Third World and gay activists.
  • Dialogue, the second gathering of black, Asian, and Latino lesbian and gay groups in Boston is held at the office of the League of Women for Community Service, a black women’s service organization. The meeting is attended by members of El Comite, Black and White Men Together of Boston, the Black Men’s Association, and the Lesbian/Gay Council of the Rainbow Coalition. The meeting lays the groundwork for future meetings and coalitions of people of color.
  • The Lesbian and Gay Council of the Rainbow, Black and White Men Together, and El Comite co-sponsor a meeting with candidates running for the Boston City Council and School Committee.

1986

  • Rev. Sandra Robinson was licensed and ordained for ministry in the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.
  • Rev. Darlene Garner was ordained by the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.

1989

LESLA (Latinas lesbianas) organizes Salsa Meets Soul, a Gay Pride dance at the 1270 bar. More than 200 lesbians and gay men turn out for the first-time event. Organizers note that the music at traditional Gay Pride events alienates gay and lesbian Latinos.

1992

  • Ken Reeves, the first openly gay African American City Council member, is elected mayor of Cambridge by his fellow City Councilors.
  • Shortly before her death in 1992 to breast cancer, poet Audre Lorde is honored in an event organized by Boston lesbians. Her work in the struggle for civil rights of lesbians and women of color is celebrated at this event. Shortly thereafter, the OutWrite Conference initiates its annual Audre Lorde lecture, awarded to a writer whose work advances Lorde’s art and activism. Recipients include Boston native Jewelle Gomez, and Cherie Morgana.

1993

Rev. Darlene Garner was elected to the Board of Elders and Clerk of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.

1997

Rev. Elder Darlene Garner was re-elected to the Board of Elders by General Conference.

1998

  • The People of African Descent (PAD) Conference of Metropolitan Community Churches was born.  The first PAD Conference was held in Laurel, Maryland.  The chair was Rev. Elder Darlene Garner.
  • During this decade, Rev. Elder Darlene Garner was elected to the Board of Elders and Vice-Moderator of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.
  • Rev. Wanda Floyd was ordained by the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.
  • Rev. Belva Boone was ordained by the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.

1998-2008

During this decade, Rev. Elder Darlene Garner was elected to the Board of Elders and Vice Moderator of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.

2000

The second PAD Conference was held for MCC in Northern Virginia.  The Conference Chair was Onetta Brooks.

2001

  • Rev. Elder Darlene Garner was re-elected to the Board of Elders by General Conference.
  • The restructuring of Metropolitan Community Churches was adopted by the General Conference with the specific intent of increasing our movement and ministry outside the borders of the United States and the participation of people of color and all people living at the margins of communities due to sexual orientation, gender expression or other self-identifying characteristics.

2002

  • The third PAD Conference was held for MCC in Atlanta, Georgia.  The Conference Chairs were Rev. Wanda Floyd and Barry Hundley.
  • Rev. Elder Darlene Garner was re-elected to the Board of Elders by Region 6.

2003

  • The Board of Administration for Metropolitan Community Churches was appointed by the Board of Elders.  Marsha Warren was elected Treasurer.

2004

  • The fourth PAD Conference was held for MCC in Houston, Texas.  The Conference Chair was Anita Jones.
  • Onetta Brooks served as Worship Coordinator for Region 1 Conference in Auckland, New Zealand.

2006

  • Marvin Bagwell was appointed to the Board of Administration.
  • The fifth PAD Conference was held for MCC in Tampa, Florida.  The Conference Co-Chairs were Rev. Candy Holmes and Rev. Franc Perry.

2007

  • On September 11, 2007, the MCC Board of Elders and the leadership of The Fellowship (the national U.S. trans-denomination fellowship of primarily African-American Christian leaders working for radical inclusivity founded and led by Bishop Yvette Flunder) came together to declare solidarity with one another and to commit ourselves to working together in unity.  The joint purpose statement for these organizations is to explore what it might mean for all of us as MCC and The Fellowship to move forward together to resist and heal religious and spiritual violence; to embrace the radical and full inclusion of all people living at the margins of communities of faith and spiritual practice; and to commit to the deep and challenging work toward reconciling the historical divisions created by racism, sexism, classism, serophobia and homophobia.
  • Rev. Elder Darlene Garner was appointed to serve as the Vice-Moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches.
  • Rev. Onetta Brooks was ordained by the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.
  • Valarie Parson was hired as the first Director of MCC Human Resources.
  • Kathy Beasley was hired as the Executive Assistant to the MCC Region 7 Elder.

2008

  • Rev. Candy Holmes was ordained by the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches and co-led the General Conference Music Team for General Conference in Scottsdale in 2007.
  • Patricia Beaver and E.T. Thomas, long-tenured members of MCC LA, provided major scholarship support for the sixth PAD Conference.
  • Paulette Armstead served on the PAD Conference Team in St. Louis along with Kathy Beasley, Dr. Jacqueline Chambers, Renee Dubignon, Andrea Ferguson, Rev. Robert Ferguson, Rev. Elder Darlene Garner (Convener), Vickey Gibbs, Rev. Candy Holmes, Rachel Lee, Orgena Rose, Norma Sharp, Herman Simpson and Marsha Warren (Treasurer of the Board of Administration for MCC worldwide).
  • The sixth PAD Conference was held for MCC in St. Louis, Missouri.  The Conference Chair was Rev. Candy Holmes.
  • Rev. Elder Darlene Garner was re-appointed to serve as the Vice-Moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches.
  • Rev. Onetta Brooks elected as Vice-Chair of the Elders Nominating Committee.
  • MCC Announces the creation of The Joint MCC/Fellowship Collaboration Team.  The MCC contingent is being led by Ms. Kathy Beasley, MCC staff member and member of Joy MCC in Orlando, FL (USA) and other team members include  Mr. Robert Ferguson, Deacon and member of Jesus MCC in Indianapolis, IN (USA), Mr. DeWayne Davis, member of MCC Washington, DC (USA), Rev. Phil Mathews, Pastor of Imani MCC in Durham, NC(USA).  The charge to the joint MCC/Fellowship Collaboration Team is to carve out clear steps and decisions that will bring about mutually-beneficial collaboration between the two organizations.

2009

  • Rev. Carolyn Mobley and Adrain Bowie attend the Inaugural Ceremony for President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C.
  • The joint leadership conference for The Fellowship and MCC convenes in Charlotte, NC in February.

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