THE BLACK PRIDE MOVEMENT & THE CENTER FOR BLACK EQUITY

“The Children’s Hour was a Black gay and lesbian festival that told place in Washington, DC every Memorial Day weekend between May 1975 to May 1990. The event was held in a bar called the Club House that was very popular among Black Gay men and known for playing “House Music”.  The Club House closed its doors in 1990 in part due to the heavy toll that HIV/AIDS was having on the staff.”

“The first Black Pride was held over the Memorial Day weekend in Washington, DC with 800 people gathering at Banneker Field across from Howard University for entertainment and socializing.  This event was organized as DC Black Gay & Lesbian Pride Day (DC Black Pride)”

“The first meeting of Black Pride leaders took place at the Radisson Barcelo Hotel, Washington, DC during the eighth annual DC Black Pride with representatives from Chicago, North Carolina, New York, Detroit, Minneapolis and Washington, DC.  The invitation was issued by DC. Black President and IFBP incorporator, Earl Fowlkes, Jr..”

“The founding meeting of the Federation of Black Prides was held the DC Black Pride host hotel, the Radisson Barcelo during the ninth annual DC Black Pride.  The original name was changed from the Federation of Black Prides to International Federation of Black Prides when it was discovered that a Black Pride existed in South Africa.  The founding members were Chicago, North Carolina, New York, Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Washington, DC.”

“The International Federation of Black Prides Board of Directors voted to rebrand and restructure the organization. The new name, Center for Black Equity (CBE), refocuses and elevates the deep commitment to our mission of achieving equality and justice for Black LGBT communities through expansive platforms focused on Health Equity, Economic Equity and Social Equity.  ”

“The CBE and the Community Marketing & Marketing (CMI) collaborated on the first Black LGBTQ+ specific consumer community national survey.”

“The CBE establishes the CBE-TTF) to identity critical issues important to the Black Transgender community, and to make recommendations to the CBE and members on how to address these issues.”

“The CBE and the Community Marketing & Marketing (CMI) collaborated on the second Black LGBTQ+ specific consumer community national survey.”

“The CBE established the Dr. Ron Simmons CBE Leadership Institute to address individual and organizational leadership issues among Black Prides and Black LGBTQ+  community members. The institute is named in honor of the late Dr. Ron Simmons who was the longtime executive director of Us Helping Us, People Into Living, Inc. The purpose of the CBE Public Policy Network will be to provide public policy information to the CBE  and Black Pride to influence public policy in the areas of health, social and economic equity impacting Black LGBTQ + communities locally, state-wide and nationally.”