JamesMichael Nichols published a wonderful article last week on HuffPost Gay Voices creating a list of 23 prominent Black LGBT icons.

I was quite surprised as I looked through his list, how many of these people I didn’t know, and even of the ones I did, how little I actually knew about them. However, they all serve as inspiration to me, to keep doing what I do. If they could be so inspirational and motivating facing such oppression and invisibility within either the African-american community, the LGBT community or both, then why would I see the little struggles I face as a hindrance to demanding change?

These black LGBT icons, while often invisible or erased from the dominant queer narrative, have been at the heart of our struggle for rights and inclusion.

In fact, what many refer to as the LGBT movement’s beginning, the rebellion against the police at the Stonewall Inn, was predominately instigated by queer and trans youth of color.

via Black History Month: 23 Prominent Black LGBT Icons.

I doubt, and expect JamesMichael would agree, that no list is complete in and of itself. Rather any list is a starting place for a longer list, so feel free to leave a comment with names and some sharing about who you might add to the list.