Celebrate 30 Years of an Influential Black Gay Anthology

On Nov. 2, The Counter Narrative Project leads events in seven cities to honor #InTheLifeAt30.

October 28, 2016

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In the fall of 1986—the height of the AIDS epidemic—a collection of writings was published under the title In the Life: A Black Gay Anthology. On Wednesday, Nov. 2, The Counter Narrative Project (CNP), a black gay men’s advocacy group, will celebrate that work’s anniversary with events in seven cities.

“This landmark work…was one of the earliest collections of black gay men’s writings,” states a CNP press release. “The text served as inspiration and blueprints for a generation grappling with racism, homophobia and the AIDS epidemic. Though there are many important contributions this towering work provided to the racial justice, LGBT, and HIV justice movements, perhaps the greatest impact of In the Life was that it helped make a previously marginalized and invisible community visible.”

To mark the anthology’s 30^th anniversary, CNP will work with artists, scholars and activists to host events in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, New York City, Oakland, Philadelphia and Washington, DC.

For event details, click here.

And for a POZ interview with Charles Stephens, the founder and executive director of CNP, read “The Art of Speaking Out.”

Read more articles from POZ, here.