Gay Anthology, edited by Joseph Beam
In March 28, 1984, writer Joseph Beam wrote to Sasha Alyson of Alyson
Publications about publishing what he called "a book of collected
writings by Black gay men." Later in the letter he emphatically
stated:
I am committed to beginning to end the immense silence that surrounds
the lives of Black gay men.
In October 1986, Beam?s dream would arrive in a slim gray volume
adorned with a sketch of two black men in tuxedos ?stepping out? by
black gay artist Daryl Mackie. In the Life: A Black Gay Anthology was
published by Alyson Publications, the first collection of its kind
featured writings by twenty-nine black gay writers including Sidney
Brinkley, Samuel R. Delany, Melvin Dixon, Craig G. Harris, Essex
Hemphill, Reginald Shepherd, Max C. Smith, and Assotto Saint.
In the same letter, Beam also tells Alyson "for purely selfish
motives, I need the support in knowing who my gay brothers are and
where they have been."?In the Life offers a sumptuous range of
stories, essays, poems and interviews written by and about queer men
of African descent. Beam stepped forward to excavate and illuminate
figures such as Richard Bruce Nugent and Bayard Rustin, and introduce
new writers like Essex Hemphill and Melvin Dixon as well as members of
early black gay writing collectives such as Blackheart and Other
Countries to larger audiences.
Beam's efforts provided a platform for out black gay voices and
expanded what was possible (and thereby profitable) in the world of
publishing. Although Beam did not live to complete what was intended
to be a sequel to In the Life, his desire to know and record the
experiences of black gay men has become a flashpoint from which
current scholarship perpetually draws insights, information and
inspiration. Thanks to RedBone Press, both In the Life and Brother to
Brother are available to a new generation of readers, writers,
thinkers, activists, and simply people who, like Beam, seek to know
their brother?s stories, and perhaps feel a little less lonely.
We want to take this opportunity to honor Joseph Beam and his
tremendous accomplishment that is In The Life on its original
publication date October 1986. His genius has been a necessary,
sustaining light, and we graciously thank him for it.
Charles Stephens and Steven G Fullwood
Editors of Black Gay Genius
Call for Submissions: Black Gay Genius: Joseph Beam and In the Life
On the eve of the 25th Anniversary of the seminal publication, In the
Life: A Black Gay Anthology, edited by Joseph Beam, we are currently
seeking submissions for an anthology on the legacy of Joseph Beam and
In the Life. This anthology will provide new interpretations of the
late 80s and early 90s black gay arts movement, examine the
contemporary political and artistic landscape for black gay men, and
explore how In the Life has influenced contemporary critical thought
as it relates to black gay men. The anthology will be comprised of
scholars from a range of disciplines, writers, activists, cultural
workers and artists. This project seeks to build upon the work of In
the Life, and perhaps explore where black gay men find themselves
today.
Topics might include:
-Black Feminism and In the Life
-Biographical and critical treatments of Joseph Beam
-Memory, mourning and In the Life
-In the Life and Black Queer Theory
-In the Life and the invention of the Black gay soul
-Historicizing the emergence of Beam and his contemporaries
-HIV/AIDS activism and early Black gay identity politics
-Black gay artists/ is there a Black gay aesthetic?
-Black gay men and Black lesbians in dialogue
-Sex, sexuality and the politics of black gay writings
We welcome your participation and we invite you to examine the
guidelines listed below. Thank you for your potential participation in
this important project.
Sincerely,
Steven G. Fullwood and Charles Stephens, editors
Black Gay Genius: Joseph Beam and In the Life
Deadline: December 16th, 2011
Contact Information:
For inquiries: blackgaygenius@gmail.com
For submissions: blackgaygenius@gmail.com
Please send a copy of your paper, essay, poem, or interview to:
blackgaygenius@gmail.com by December 16th, 2011
Files must be in .doc, .docx, .pdf, or .rtf formats. Files should be
named with the author's name and part of title of submission. For
example:
"Stephens_Blackgaygenius" or "Stephens-blackgaygenius.pdf"
Essays, articles, stories or interviews should be between 4-8 pages or
less. Poems should be should be a page (let's discuss.) Please note:
the editors seek to collect and publish a monograph that covers a wide
range of genres and perspectives.
In your email, please include the following:
Name
Address
Email address
Phone
Title of submission
If your submission was previously published please include the
publication title, edition, and date
Thank you. We look forward to reading your work!
Sincerely,
Steven G. Fullwood and Charles Stephens, editors
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