#paul-robeson

#paul-robeson

Black History Month is a time to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements and courageous acts of people of African descent in the United States and around the world. This year, Black History month celebrates its 100th anniversary. And yet, Black History Month has failed to fully acknowledge or celebrate the contributions of Black LGBTQ+ people. Just as Pride Month remains overwhelmingly white in its representation, Black History Month continues to be deeply homophobic in its omissions.

English, the first Black woman to open a private practice in the state of New York, was known as Brooklyn's Birth Mother. She had delivered some six thousand babies, including the children of Betty Shabazz and Malcolm X. She became a philanthropist, and her patronage of the arts was perhaps best represented by her conversion of St. Casimir's into a haven for theatre, performance, and community engagement.