The Gay Harlem Renaissance

Uniting painting, sculpture, artifacts, documents, photographs, and music from collections across the country, The Gay Harlem Renaissance celebrates the creativity, innovation, and resilience of Black LGBTQ+ Harlemites in the face of racist pressures and homophobic laws. The exhibition examines the Black LGBTQ+ artists, writers, and performers central to the Harlem Renaissance and everyday Black gay life in the early 20th century, recognizing that Alain Locke and many of the best-known writers and artists he championed were gay or bisexual. It explores the queer mentorship and gay-inclusive salons and friendship circles that helped sustain the Harlem Renaissance, taking visitors to Harlem's posh segregated nightclubs, basement speakeasies, rent parties, and drag balls where LGBTQ+ people lived and performed.