Revolutionary Acts: Love and Brotherhood in Black Gay Britain

by Jason Okundaye

In this landmark work, Jason Okundaye meets an elder generation of Black gay men and finds a spirited community full of courage, charisma and good humour, hungry to tell its past - of nightlife, resistance, political fights, loss, gossip, sex, romance and vulgarity. Through their conversations he seeks to reconcile the Black and gay narratives of Britain, narratives frequently cleaved as distinct and unrelated.

Tracing these men's journeys and arrivals to South London through the seventies, eighties and nineties from the present day, Okundaye relays their stories with rare compassion, listening as they share intimate memories and reflect upon their lives. They endured and fought against the peak of the AIDS epidemic, built social groups and threw underground parties; they went to war with institutions (and with each other) and created meaning within a society which was often indifferent to their existence.

Revolutionary Acts renders a singular portrait of Britain from the perspective of those buffeted by the winds of marginalisation and discrimination. It is a portrait marked by resilience and self-determination, inspired by the love and beauty Black men have found in each other.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Queer, LGBT, Race, Audiobook, London

304 pages, Paperback

Published February 13, 2025

Reviews

[Izzy Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

If all history was written like this, I’d never stop reading it. This book is truly a marvel and a delight to read. I have always loved Jason Okundaye’s journalistic work for his integrity and nuance, and those traits carry this book which explores the lives, activism and love of Black gay men in 1980-2000’s Brixton. I leant so much reading this book but ultimately what Okundaye is encouraging us all to do through this beautiful, moving, politically powerful and loving book is to ask questions of our elders, of our neighbours, our parents, of everyone in our lives: to find out about them before it’s too late and record and respect these oral histories. I will be thinking about this book for a long time!

[robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

really good! i particularly liked the chapters about alex owolade and ajamu x - okundaye’s ear for good gossip makes the cattier sections enormous fun to read, although some parts do have something of an ‘i guess you had to be there’ feel, whether because of the men’s (understandably) patchy memories or their (also understandable) reticence to have certain details published. the only thing i really felt was missing was a visual component; there’s so much talk of old photos & pamphlets etc that it’s a shame not to be able to see any of them within the actual book

[Karim Boustani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never read a book that evoked so many raw emotions as this. Having grown up in Brixton, it is an extremely important part of south London history that I have never been exposed to. I read it in one sitting and by the end felt like I knew each of them men personally. Jason did an excellent job of capturing their personalities and retelling their stories in an engaging way despite the hard topics.

[Zahrah · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO GOOD.

I absolutely love the way Jason Okundaye conducted his interviews and wrote this book. It's a warm, energetic, sometimes juicy, often heartbreaking, occasionally sexy view of life in the 70s-80s for young black gay men in and around Brixton.

For all the bleakness of living as a gay black man in Section 28 homophobic and racist Britain there's so much here that seems to be missing in modern day Britain. The ability to live so centrally and in day to day community with other queers/POCs/activists/creatives and then frankly also the ability to have a wild fucking party. Closures of beloved venues and club spaces is a familiar thing leading to the erosion of our nighttime economy - in this book as we are told that so many key venues for black gay men to congregate were demolished, turned into co-working spaces or private members clubs (gentrification!). But we still find places to meet and find each other today - who knows where people will find each other tomorrow outside of the internet?

This book highlights the need to:
a) talk to your goddamn elders before it's too late to hear their memories
b) backup important memories!!!
c) being in community involves actively caring for one another - otherwise you're just in proximity with each other.
d) tell your stories to the younger generation when it's your turn. Over time you probably will pick up some nuggets of wisdom to pass on.

[Catherinetwomey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was great ! The author clearly cares deeply about the men he speaks to and it feels so warm and intimate despite being a historical account. I loved this approach!


‘Sometimes the answers you seek by burying your head in a textbook can be found, with greater pleasure, over a cup of tea, and two simple questions: “how are you?” and “who are you?”’

[Alfredo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A phenomenal read. It is a portrait of several Black British gay men and their activism, showcasing in raw terms the complexity and the challenges but also the love, the hopes, the hard work, and the impact they had over the last several decades. Can't recommend it enough.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

whilst there’s no definitive way to write a history of anything, this feels like such a beautiful example of how history can be written - really, really loved it

[Lois Hinder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful writing and very interesting people. Underappreciated histories that need to be told

[Harriet · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Mary Oluwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much I learnt about uncovered history, and myself within this book. I enjoyed this from start to end and Jason’s storytelling embedded within the fact he is interviewing individuals is a skill I don’t feel many would master in the same way.

Left me with a lot of questions about how much black British (and queer) history is not published, or discussed. And as he said at the end of the book: sometimes the answers you seek by burying your head in a textbook can be found over a cup of tea. This book has inspired me in so many ways, but first and foremost to talk to the history makers and the culture changers that are still alive, it brings a more authentic understanding of our collective history.

Could’ve read plenty more chapters about more ‘subjects’ but that’s just a credit to the writing and the quality of life and experience that these people had to offer. Loveddddd it

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just phenomenal.

[Angus · Rating 4 out of 5]

finally got round to reading this! i’ve followed jason okundaye for quite a few years and met him at an event for the launch of this book where he spoke very lovingly about the men he interviewed for this book. the men are all (presumably by design) very different, and the conversations he shares with us illustrate their varied approaches to activism and their engagement within the black gay community. the histories and lives of vulnerable groups are so often flattened into something simple or consumable, so I loved the commitment to telling their stories on their terms, making room for all the arguments, disagreements and even exclusion itself within the black gay community. as okundaye himself says, it’s so important that we document these previously ignored histories, especially amongst groups whose lives are so fraught with danger. these men have remarkable stories, and i’m all the better for knowing them

[C. B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okundaye’s approach is sensible. Rather than attempting any sort of comprehensive history, he focuses on the lives of a handful of interviewees, giving the book a distinctly chatty and personable quality. It’s well written and thoughtfully constructed. I couldn’t put it down once I’d started reading it, so it was in certainly reminiscent of my appetite for gay gossip from friends. One wishes it would never end! I do think there’s a problem—given the scope of the text—with the title. While some of the men came from outside London, Okundaye’s focus is London—and even within London, the focus is Brixton. This makes narrative sense, but I think the title could make it clearer that this is in fact an intimate study of lives lived in or around Brixton from the 1970s to the present. But overall, an excellent book!

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal: a beautiful, flirty, intimate and interesting series of interviews with 8 black gay men from Brixton. I loved the niche of Brixton, seeing how expansive communities and creations reached, and yet how small and close knit it could be at the same time.
Each interview gave me a different response: joy, anger, laughter, loss, humbling etc. and covered such a broad range of people that make up a community.I loved the flowers given to Dirg for his admin/practical behind the scenes work, the power and inclusivity from Alex in his activism, the discussions around loss and memory of men during this time. Each interview showed how close and understanding Jason was as an author and holder of their stories. I will be reading anything he writes in future 🫡

[Tolu]

no rating because even thought it's not really marketed as a memoir it reads in that way and so my rule of not rating memoirs still stands.

that being said this was such a good read, it was joyful, devastating, scandalous and bright. It was so illuminating being able to get first hand accounts of a part of british history that has been obscured and ignored for so long in wider society.

i think i definitely wanted to read more about the black African perspective which i felt was decidedly absent in this book despite glimpses of evidence that there was so much more depth to that perspective. It is however a relatively short book for what it sets out to do and i understand the limitations that can come with that.

it was altogether a really enjoyable read!

[Bethan Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew I would be obsessed with this from when I saw it advertised on twitter and was even more excited to read it when I found out my g Mo was editing! I’m a sucker for an anthropological non-fiction, I’m a sucker for queer writing, I’m a sucker for books about sex. It was interesting to read a book which focused so much on the interviewees and did not give a sweeping account of one topic (it actively stated in the introduction that it wasn’t aiming to do this). Just really joyful to read the stories of all the men in the book. Love human connections xoxo

[George Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely phenomenal in all regards - educational, funny, devastating, gossipy, political, sexy, historical, just amazinggggg. Reading it was just such an experience and I learnt so much about a community that has had to endure so much hardship in the last 40 years. The writing execution was so clever and i adored the overarching theme that social history can and should be discovered through conversations with elders in our community above all else

[Tondi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Revolutionary Acts is a poignant historical account constructed around the lives of Black British gay men, who lived in the Brixton area of South London. In each chapter, Okundaye takes the reader along his journey of discovering how this older generation created community and forged a counter-culture, in and around the vibrant South London area of Brixton. The dearth of information and sources on Black British life presented an opportunity for Okundaye to adopt a more personalised approach in this historical record.

As Okundaye’s opening words solemnly state: ‘Researching Black history often feels like a rescue effort and a race against time.’ These “fragile histories” as the author calls them, fortuitously provide an easy access point for people who want to know more about Black British gay life…

Full review: https://www.hararebookclub.com/home/r...

Thank you to Faber & Faber for providing Harare Book Club with an advance reviewer’s copy.

[lunz · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a heartwarming and heart-wrenching book with so much insight into a history that would have otherwise been kept between those who've lived it. inspired me in so many ways and was such an important and interesting read.

[Evie Spicer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glad to have been introduced to all of these men especially Ajamu X eek wow

[Zuzka · Rating 4 out of 5]

This must have been so much fun to research. Gossiping with cool upperclassmen and just giggling and kicking your feet. That's what history and oral *wink* tradition is all about.

[Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love love

[Bybyberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so beautiful aaah! Love how Okundaye uses individual stories to talk about the wider history of the 80's London black gay scene. It's a beautiful portrayal that doesn't try to be exhaustive but captures a broad picture about parties, love, memories, sickness, racism (especially inside the gay community itself!), identity, brotherhood, activism, etc.

This book feels alive. It's human in a way that not all non-fiction books want, or manage, to do. The way these men, and this community, are all interconnected, is very touching.

Okundaye's approach to writing is truly wonderful! I feel like I've learned so much. And it reminded me of the importance of community and archives!

[devitalise]

easily one of the most impactful books i’ve ever read. there is just so much love and tenderness in the curation of these men’s lives that is so palpable. stunning

[Jarnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely incredible - entered as a skeptic of the style/attitude taken and shut my ass up immediately. history/reporting/autoethnography?? delightful read!

[Katie.dorny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable audiobook and i always enjoy reading and learning about Queer history. Just a bit too sex based for me as the audiobook contained no warning.

[Mar Serra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a book. I usually have a hard time focusing on non-fiction audiobooks, but Okundaye does an amazing job in both his writing and narration which made me unable to put this book down. His prose is delightfully descriptive, and this book does a spectacular job at collating archive materials and conversations of a history that rarely gets written about. It was an enlightening read and it was just as heartwarming as it was heartbreaking, the people portrayed in it feel tangible, raw, their stories alive even if they themselves aren't anymore. This book also does a spectacular job at sharing different points of view on situations, celebrating the different perspectives of crucial moments in the fight for black queer liberation, keeping these moments alive for generations to come.

[Brit · Rating 4 out of 5]

So vibrant, full of life, sexy, sad, playful, hopeful, everything!! The kind of book that only comes from an author forming intimate connections with their subjects. Really beautiful – thank god this exists.

[Harry · Rating 5 out of 5]

sexy, loud, political, gossipy, intimate, and glorious. a true work of mammoth dedication and care that informs as much as it is a joy to read. so good!

[mia :•) · Rating 5 out of 5]

i have such a parasocial relationship with jason bc i've followed him on twitter for so long that i feel proud of him for this like an actual friend. congrats bestie!!!