Black gay pride


The Black Gay Pride movement is a movement within the United States for African American members of the LGBT community. Started in the 1990s, Black Gay Pride movements began as a way to provide black LGBT people an alternative to the largely white mainstream LGBT movement. The movement serves as a way for black LGBT people to discuss the specific issues that are unique to the black LGBT community. While the mainstream gay pride movement, often perceived as overwhelmingly white, has focused much of its energy on marriage equality, the Black Gay Pride movement has focused on issues like medicine, homophobia in their communities and housing.
Today, there are about 20 Black Gay Pride events all over the United States. The largest of these events have historically been D.C. Black Pride and Atlanta Black Pride. While black pride events started as early as 1988, D.C. Black Pride, which began in 1991, has been cited as one of the earliest celebrations. The D.C. Black Pride celebration started out of a tradition called the Children's Hour 15 years prior.

Center for Black Equity

Formerly known as the International Federation of Black Prides until 2012, the Center for Black Equity, is an international organization dedicated to equality and social justice for black LGBT people. On October 13, 2013, CBE president Earl Fowles, along with Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, announced a name change from IFBP to the Center for Black Equity. Though the organization began as a way to support the network of Black Gay Pride celebrations worldwide, CBE now also focuses on social justice issues as well.
The International Federation of Black Prides started during DC Black Pride of May 1999 by a coalition of Black Pride organizers representing Chicago, North Carolina, New York City, Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, and Washington, DC. The coalition saw a need to organize the twenty plus Black Prides in the United States and abroad for the purpose of developing sponsorship strategies, providing technical assistance, networking, mentoring, and supporting one another. IFBP acquired its IRS 501 non-profit status in November 2004.

Most popular events

The two largest black gay pride events in the world are based in Atlanta, Georgia and Washington, D.C.

Atlanta Black Pride

Created in 1996, Atlanta Black Pride weekend is the only official event for the black LGBT community in Atlanta. The event started after a few friends decided to have a Labor Day picnic together. It is the largest black gay pride event which could do with the large black LGBT presence in and near Atlanta.

D.C. Black Pride

is the earliest and the second largest black LGBT pride event. The event first took place on Saturday, May 25, 1991 at Banneker Field. Like other black LGBT celebrations, it started because the community did not see themselves fairly represented during the annual Capital Pride event in D.C. Event sponsors include Capital Pride and CBE.