Black Pride

This flyer advertises the 1996 Black Pride Celebration in the magazine Women in the Life

Women in the Life Magazine, Vol 4, May 1996

Since the mid-2000s, Fort Dupont has been a home for DC Black Pride’s, the longest continually running Black Pride in the United States and world. Started by Welmore Cook, Theodore Kirkland, and Ernest Hopkins, who wanted to raise money for the Black LGB DC community members suffering with HIV/AIDS and provide them with a safe gathering space, resources that were not being met by the well-funded HIV/AIDS groups of the time. The first DC Black Pride took place across from Howard University at Banneker Field in 1991 on the Memorial Day Sunday, and was attended by over 800 people attended, raising more than $3,000.

That same year on Memorial Day, community members and event planners Robyn Holden and Papaya Mann added to the festivities by repurposing a past event called Brunch in the Park. Previously they would put together a post Children’s Hour, The Clubhouse’s annual Memorial Day weekend Black LGB multi-day party, held from 1976-1990, in the park as an after-party meal. Renaming it Picnic in the Park the event now served as an additional family friendly space to BBQ and celebrate the holiday and Black Pride. This picnic has continued off and on after Black Pride each year.
 

As the years went by, DC Black Pride has grown in popularity over, inspiring Black Pride celebrations around the country and world. The picnic moved around to various places in DC until making Fort Dupont its official location in the 2011 when Us Helping Us People into Living inc., an African American founded and serving HIV/AID organization began sponsoring the event. DC Black Pride continues to take place every year on Memorial Day Weekend, bringing together people from all over the country to be proud and celebrate.

DC’s and other Black Prides have become spaces of joy, celebration, and pride to people not centered in other larger marginalized communities. They are Black Queer Space formed because of the specific needs of their communities, and they continue to thrive due to those needs still not being met elsewhere. Everyone is welcomed at DC Black Pride, the only difference is that Black LGB people are centered there as they are not in other queer spaces.
Reflection Question
What’s a tradition that you once had to change or alter slightly due to circumstance and the changes made the tradition even better? Find two pictures one in the original way you celebrated an event or an occasion and the second.