October 21. 2005 ’ jUSt OUt ig
nTîT7TïT7TÎTInews
F inding
a
P lace in the M ovement
Gays embraced, then excluded from Million Man March commemoration
by Bob Roehr
eaders of the black queer community
were shocked and dismayed at the
roller coaster of reconciliation and
inclusion, then the last-minute rejeo-
tion of their participation in the Mil
lions More Movement event Oct. 15 on the
Mall in Washington, D.C.
The rally served to commemorate the 10th
anniversary of the Million Man March and re
invigorate community empowerment. This time
the Rev. Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of
Islam had the support of many other leaders of
the African-American community who had
shunned the earlier gathering.
In February, Farrakhan publicly welcomed
the participation of gays and lesbians in activi
ties, hut a series of communications between the
Millions More Movement and queer leaders
resulted in little progress toward that end. There
was a further setback in July when the Rev.
Willie Wilson, executive director of the event,
made what many considered to he inflammato
ry remarks about queers while preaching at his
church in D.C.
The National Black Justice Coalition took
Farrakhan to task at a news conference Oct. 11
for continuing to exclude them from the event.
That resulted in an Oct. 12 meeting with him
and Wilson.
“Rev. Wilson was a huge obstacle. He refused
to shake our hands when we walked in; he yelled
and screamed the whole time,” said coalition
president Keith Boykin.
“Minister Farrakhan was
very
understanding,
polite and respectful.”
Coalition executive
director H. Alexander
Robinson continued:
“We had a very gcxid
conversation with Min
ister Farrakhan on a
wide range of issues that
we share. At the end of
the meeting it was Rev.
Wilson that suggested
that Keith be the speak
er, and Minister Far
rakhan agreed.”
Boykin added: “We
After initially being welcomed by the Rev. Louis Farrakhan, queer partici
showed
up at 8 a.m.
pants in the Millions More March were denied access to the podium.
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[Oct. 15| to get VIP credentials for me, Alexan
der and Ldonna [Payne, coalition vice president
and a field organizer for the Human Rights
Campaign], and they didn’t have any for any of
us. We were escorted to the stage area to talk
with Sister Claudette Muhammad, who was our
liaison to Farrakhan."
Payne said: “Rev. Wilson came over and said
to me, ‘You will not be-speaking.’ He had a smirk
on his face.” Wilson claimed the group had not
responded in rime, and he walked off.
National Black Justice Coalition president Keith
The National Black Justice Coalition and Boykin speaks at an event commemorating the
the D.C. Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays 10th anniversary of the Million Man March.
had organized a rally as part of the We Are Fam
ily Unity Weekend. They gathered that morn “Today, because of one person, we are unable to
ing, a few blocks away at Freedom Plaza, prior to do that.”
marching to rhe Mall.
Boykin profusely praised Farrakhan’s recent
acts and statements of inclusion. He said, “The
“Rev. Willie Wilson is a snake in the grass,
and he must learn that his ignorance, arrogance diversity of speakers assembled here today is a
and back-stabbing will not be tolerated,” Ster powerful signal that we in the black community
ling Washington, co-chairman of rhe D.C.
will not allow ourselves to be divided by differ
ences of opinion, religion, gender, class or sexu
coalition, told the rally. “If he wants a fight,
al orientation ever again.”
then a fight he will get.”
He raised the names of Bayard Rustin, Billy
Bishop Zachary G. Jones of Unity Fellowship
Strahorn, Lorraine Hansberry, James Baldwin,
Church in New York City said: “In my family,
Audre Lorde and Alvin Ailey as having added
1 know that when those heterosexual couples
much to both the black and gay communities
have their little problems, and they need some
through their work. He said: “That’s why 1 am
body within the family to kind of bridge the gap,
here today—to honor their legacy. We share rhe
and they need the gay uncle to participate with
same goals and aspirations of the rest of the black
financial support, they know how to pick tip rhe
community, but none of us can accomplish those
phone. That’s rhe inside voice.”
Boykin was rhe last to speak. He said, “This
goals without unity and courage.” JH
has been a challenging week, and yet, we are
still not defeated.” He added that the point of B ob R oehr is a free-lance reporter based in
Washington, D.C.
his prepared speech was to get beyond rhe past
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