BLK Vol. 4 No. 2: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This is the 36th issue of BLK magazine published May 1992. The front cover is printed in color and features an image of Lisa Mitchell (left) and Titia Ingram (right) hiking in the woods. Both women are carrying a red, external frame hiking backpack, with Ingram in the front and Mitchell following. Ingram is wearing a blue/white flannel with the sleeves rolled to her elbows, blue jeans which are cuffed, black tennis shoes, and a water canister hanging over her right shoulder. Mitchell is wearing a white tank top with light blue jeans, also cuffed, and black tennis shoes. She is wearing a watch on her right wrist and a ring on her middle finger; both of Mitchell’s hands are supporting the backside of Ingram. At the top and centered to the left, [BLK] is printed in bold, white, uppercase letters within a black rectangular box. Below and to the left of the [BLK] text box is the magazine issue information; in small, red text it reads [Vol. 4, No. 2 Whole No. 36 / $1.95 U.S., $2.95 Canada]. At the center and aligned to the right are the news sections listed in yellow text, [NEWS / JUMP START / CARTOONS / MUSIC / BOOKS / BLK TEA / WORD UP / CLASSIFIEDS]. Below, and also aligned to the right, is the magazine headline in red text reading [Lesbian Women / In The Wild]. Below, is the feature story headline in red text [Outwrite Outrage]. There are 68 numbered pages, stapled the center fold, with articles, advertisements, classifieds, black and white photographs, and cartoon illustrations throughout.

The inside of the cover features an ad [Prevention Is Better Than Cure]. The content opens with the section [JUMP START] by L. Llyod Jordan. In it, Jordan addresses the car collision Alan Bell, publisher and editor, was in. This in turn will affect the publication of BLK, though they foresee no impact to Black Lace, Kuumba, and BLACKfire, the related magazine of BLK. The article is accompanied by a photograph of Alan Bell in a hospital bed, giving a thumbs up, and the totaled car.

Following on page 3 is the section [WORD UP] by Leon Miller with four short articles: [HOW QUICKLY WE FORGET] about Pres. Bill Clinton and Rev. Jesse Jackson, [BLACK PENISES CREATE CONTROVERSY] about an exhibition in Johannesburg depicting nude photographs of young African men, [FREUDIAN SLIP, OR SNEAKING ONE IN] about Whitney Houston, and [OFFICAL RACISM, OFFICIAL HOMOPHOBIA] regarding Congressman Barney Frank.

This is followed by five letters to the editor in the section [BLK MAIL] on pages 4 and 5, with the [BLK] masthead on page 5. On page 6 is the section [BLK PEOPLE] by Michael Taylor about broad and general news regarding the Black gay and lesbian community. It is divided by city.

The cover story, which begins on page 8, is titled [Black Lesbian / Women / In The Wild]. Written by Nina Robert, a woman of color who is a professional in the field of outdoor recreation, the article several women to discuss the spiritual enrichment, invigorating feeling, and economic barrier that comes from being outdoor leisure In hoping to encourage Black lesbians, Robert makes a note of suggesting participation through a support system or organization due to homophobia, sexiam, and racism. The article is accompanied by two photographs of Lisa Mitchell and Titia Ingram and a list of outdoor programs.

A feature article begins on page 18, titled [OutWrite / Outrage / BLACK LESBIANS AND GAYS / TAKE CONTROL IN BOSTON] by L. Lloyd Jordan. The article covers the OutWrite 92 Conference and the controversary that occurred when the finalist for the $1,000 literary prize did not include any African American novelists despite the prize being named after Joseph Beam. Jordan includes the thoughts of several authors, poets, and activists while addressing the systematic intuitional history of excluding African Americans in the literary world.

A second feature article begins on page 14, titled [CONFERENCE / REPORT], written by Mark Haile and photographed by Bruce Hunt. About the firth annual National Black Gay and Lesbian Conference with nearly 700 attendees, which was cosponsored by an umbrella organization called UNITY. The conferences included the AIDS Institute, Cultural Institute, Spiritual Institute, Leadership Institute, and Women’s Issues.

On page 30 begins [MUSIC / by D.J. Marius] with one album review, [Michael Jackson / “Dangerous” / (Epic)]. On the following page is [BOOKS / by Alan E. Miller] discussing Becky Birtha, Pat Parker, Audre Lorde, and Assotto Saint.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: May 1992
• Published by: Alan Bell, American
• Edited by: Alan Bell, American
• Subject of: Lisa Mitchell
• Subject of: Titia Ingram
• Subject of: Joseph F. Beam, American, 1954 - 1988
• Subject of: Essex Hemphill, American, 1957 - 1995
• Subject of: Sabrina Sojourner, American, born 1952
• Subject of: Assotto Saint, Haitian American, 1957 - 1994
• Type: magazines (periodicals)
• Medium: ink on paper (fiber product)
• Dimensions: H x W x D: 10 13/16 × 8 1/4 × 1/8 in. (27.4 × 20.9 × 0.3 cm)
• Place made: Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States, North and Central America
• Place depicted: Oakland, Alameda County, California, United States, North and Central America
• Place depicted: Dakar, Senegal, West Africa, Africa
• Place depicted: San Francisco, San Francisco county, California, United States, North and Central America
• Place depicted: Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States, North and Central America
• Place depicted: Virgin Islands of the United States, United States, Caribbean, North and Central America
• Place depicted: Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma, United States, North and Central America
• Place depicted: Lagos, Nigeria, West Africa, Africa
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Activism
• Topic: Associations and institutions
• Topic: Black Press
• Topic: Christianity
• Topic: Communities
• Topic: Hate crimes
• Topic: Health
• Object number: 2018.108.36
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Alan Bell
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © BLK Publishing Company, Inc Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.