A new multimedia exhibit opening February 20 at The GLBT History Museum showcases the dynamic and diverse history of Bay Area African American gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender lives from the 1970s through today.

Photographer unknown; courtesy GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco.

“Legendary: African American GLBT Past Meets Present” features a mosaic of words, images and sounds that connect inspirational commentary by local queer community leaders with historic artefacts reflecting themes of art, belonging, justice and sexuality.

“Bay Area African American GLBT people have made powerful contributions to culture, community, activism and the erotic, yet there sometimes exists a disconnect with this rich history and how it undoubtedly influences the world we live in today,” notes curator Byron Mason. “We have been renegades, leaders, brothers and sisters who have for decades stood up for the beauty, importance and power of our own lives.”

Commentators whose voices are highlighted in “Legendary” include Veronika Fimbres (transgender, veteran and HIV/AIDS activist); Shine Louise Houston (feminist porn director and entrepreneur); Honey Mahogany (RuPaul’s Drag Race); Dr. Kenneth Monteiro (dean of the College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University); Chaney Turner (Oakland-based event producer); and Marvin White (poet and novelist). The stories converge around a remarkable centerpiece: the late San Francisco disco diva Sylvester’s hot pink sequined stage ensemble.

Curator Bryon Mason is a longtime Bay Area activist, artist and social and behavioral sciences researcher focusing on sexuality and HIV/AIDS. “Legendary” is the second in an ongoing series of exhibits in the Corner Gallery at The GLBT History Museum that partner community curators with exhibitions professionals from the museum to create new perspectives on Bay Area queer history.

An opening reception will be held Wednesday, February 20, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. The exhibit runs through April 2013.The museum is open Monday and Wednesday through Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.; Sunday, noon – 5:00 p.m.; closed Tuesday. Admission is $5.00 (regular); $3.00 (California students with ID); free for members. For more information, visit www.glbthistorymuseum.org.

About the GLBT History Museum

Open since January 2011, The GLBT History Museum in San Francisco’s Castro District is the first full-scale, stand-alone museum of its kind in the United States. Currently featured in the Main Gallery is a long-term exhibition: “Our Vast Queer Past: Celebrating San Francisco’s GLBT History.” The Front Gallery and Corner Gallery spaces present changing exhibitions.

The museum is a project of the GLBT Historical Society, a research center and archives that collects, preserves and interprets the history of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and the communities that support them. Founded in 1985, the society maintains one of the world’s largest collections of GLBT historical materials. For more information, visit www.glbthistory.org

Photo Caption : Revelers at a 1977 Halloween party embody the spirit of belonging showcased in “Legendary: African American GLBT Past Meets Present” at The GLBT History Museum.

(Photographer unknown; courtesy GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco.)

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