A Black Queer History of the United States

by C. Riley Snorton, Darius Bost

The first-ever Black history to center queer voices, this landmark study traces the lives of LGBTQ+ Black Americans from slavery to present day

Gender and sexual expression have always been part of the Black freedom struggle

In this latest book in Beacon’s award-winning ReVisioning History series, Professors C. Riley Snorton and Darius Bost unearth the often overlooked history of the Black queer community in the United States.

Arguing that both gender and sexual expression have been an intimate and intricate part of Black freedom struggle, Snorton and Bost present historical contributions of Black queer, trans, and gender non-conforming Americans from slavery to the present day to highlight how the fight against racial injustice has always been linked to that of sexual and gender justice.

Interweaving stories of queer and trans figures such

Private William Cathay/Cathay Williams, born female but enlisted in the Army as a man in the mid-1860s Josephine Baker, internationally known dancer and entertainer of the early 20th century who was also openly bisexual Bayard Rustin, prominent Civil Rights activist whose well known homosexuality was viewed as a potential threat to the movement Amanda Milan, a black trans woman whose murder in 2000 unified the trans people of color community, this book includes a deep dive into the marginalization, unjust criminalization, and government legislation of Black queer and trans existence. It also shows how Black Americans have played an integral role in the modern LGBTQ rights movement, countering narratives that have predominantly focused on white Americans.

Through storytelling and other narratives, Snorton and Bost show how the Black queer community has always existed, regardless of the attempts to stamp it out, and how those in it continue to fight for their rightful place in the world.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Queer, LGBT, Race, Audiobook, African American

232 pages, Hardcover

Published January 20, 2026

About the author

C. Riley Snorton is associate professor of Africana studies and feminist, gender, and sexuality studies at Cornell University and visiting associate professor of American studies and ethnicity at the University of Southern California. He is author of Nobody Is Supposed to Know: Black Sexuality on the Down Low (Minnesota, 2014).

Reviews

[E Money The Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a far more radical (which is to say correct) take on this topic than I got from Bronski’s Queer History of the US. These two authors (C. Riley Snorton and Darius Bost) paint the history as an ongoing struggle, and not just some hurdle of the past thats been settled. Meanwhile Bronski gave mad liberal (derogatory) vibes.

The obvious example coming from each texts interpretation of the Stonewall Riot. You’d swear they were talking about entirely different events!

Anyways I learned a shit load from *this* book. A trans woman who was the pillar of a black neighborhood a hundred years ago. Some POS doctor outs her but the people in the neighborhood respond with a big fat “AND?”

20th century middle class black america tried to copy middle class white america, mainly through priests, business owners, and academics. They were expecting this to be the way to earn their ‘humanity’ in the eyes of white america (it didn’t) and how a big part of how they attempted this was by promoting gender norms and heteronormativity. Yknow, to copy european behavior.

The authors directly quote the people doing this, why they think the strategy of throwing queer or gender nonconforming folk under the bus will be good for black civil rights. The gross limitations of talented 10ths thinking (later Dubois is best Dubois!). But all it sounds like is the tired old strategy we still hear today of loser Centrist Democrats who say things like “we should abandon trans people to win more votes!” “Americans aren’t ready for such radical positions!” before proceeding to run loser candidates that lose.

[Phillipsbooknook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read! I learned so much! I even learned more in-depth details of people and events that I already assumed I knew the details about. I enjoyed this book and I would highly recommend this to others to become more educated and more knowledgeable about the black & queer communities and movements.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first 2026 Black History Month read. I love a book well read by the author. I wanted to read this book in order to learn about a part of history I didn’t have much familiarity with. This book was dense with new information, but clearly laid out and easy to follow.

In this book I learned about:
- the linguistic exploration of the word black and the theme of how it is used in the names of the people featured in the book
- how anti cross dressing laws were connected to Jim Crow, both being used to control minority populations by property owning white men
- So many stories of people just wanting to mind their own business and live their lives, wanting what everyone wants, to live authentically in peace
- the campaign slogans from Joan Jett Blakk in 1992 “Lick Bush” and 1996 “Lick Slick Willy.” I’d love to have one of those bumper stickers.
- The conflicts between heterosexual and queer civil rights activists and how they viewed each other as holding the other back
- the racism in the LGBT rights movement and how segregated groups grew up at the same time
- “Sexuality is never not an expression of power.”
- The authors explore how contemporary black queer authors explore the possibilities for sexual expression during slavery, even though primary sources are rare or nonexistent
- How gender expression helped enslaved people escape by cross dressing to avoid detection, although we don’t have context for how they felt about dressing or living as a different gender
- W.E.B. Du Bois and his concept of the “Talented Tenth” vs his son in law Countee Cullen’s sexuality
- “Jane Crow” coined by Pauli Murray for prejudice against women and gender nonconforming people
- The double standard between civil rights leaders MLK Jr and Bayard Rustin
- Bessie Smith was born in Chattanooga, was bisexual, and was maybe in a relationship with Ma Rainey (and also worked and was buried in Philly)
- the Dewey’s protest in Center City, a sit in demanding access to public accommodations for LGBT people

I thought the authors did a great job of balancing celebration, pride, frustration, and struggle. Makes me want to go reread Four Hundred Souls, but I’ll probably smash on to the John Lewis biography next.

Phil Black, Georgia Black, Joan Jett Blakk, Angela Davis, Cathay Williams/William Cathay, William and Ellen Craft, Josephine Baker, Pauli Murray, Bayard Rustin, James Baldwin, Delisa Newton, Bessie Smith, Lady Java, Ava Betty Brown, Marsha P Johnson, Miss Major Griffin Gracy, Stormé DeLarverie, and more.

[Beauregard Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had a lot of great information in it, and I found the tone easy enough to follow and not overly academic. I thought it might be a bit more comprehensive, however, and some of the organizational choices I disagreed with. Still, a great primer!

[Mario Jovan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an easy read and a great introduction to Black queer studies. It focuses on lesser-known figures and continues to center trans people. Each chapter is beautifully organized, although one chapter challenged me and made me have varying thoughts. The research is well-done. I rate it a 4 based on my own expectations rather than the author’s. I own another book called Black Queer and Untold, which delves deeper into each subject matter. This book serves more as an introduction without explicitly stating it. I was under the impression that it would be as deep as the book I mentioned, but it’s more of a beginner’s guide. You can read it in one sitting, which is why I highly recommend it. It provides the necessary information without overwhelming you with challenging words, acronyms, or terms that you may not be familiar with.

[Hannibal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is going to be weird to review - because I think this book has great information and is a great resource, but it fully reads like a textbook and so there wasn't a lot of ENJOYMENT in reading this.

As a resource/reference type book though, it's great! There are so many interesting stories about all of these different queer people over the past generations. This book gives you a lot of detail, but just enough where you want to search out other information about them. And this book has a hefty notes/index section because so many great books, movies, albums etc are mentioned throughout the book.

It definitely left me really inspired, as the people mentioned in the book are true heroes. It's almost unthinkable the things that some of these people were faced with and how they were able to rise above. And of course the sacrifice of these people, made it so much easier for black gay men like myself in these times. The ending was very celebratory of how far we've come, but also realistic about all the work we still need to do and what important issues have been left on the backburner through all of these decades.

I liked it, think there is a lot of great information in this book, but it just was maybe too clinical for me. Too textbook like for me to really fully ENJOY it.

[Tracy Smyth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did this as an audiobook. The story was good but I had trouble sticking with it due the style of the narrator. While he was speaking there was no emotion in his voice and I think that was why I couldn’t concentrate on the story and why it took so long to get through it. I think it would be quite a good book to read and not do as an audiobook

[Courtney Moore]

I don't really know how to rate a review a history book. That being said it was evident the authors took such care when documenting these histories and I truly appreciated that. I learned a lot and took copious notes.

"In light of the ongoing marginalization of Black queer history in K–12 and higher education curricula, it remains essential for us to create our own histories."

[Hollie]

I learned so much! I had no idea just how prevalent the intersectionality between black lives and homophobia/ transphobia is.

Really informative. A great gift to give a homophobic family member for Christmas 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

[Toby C · Rating 4 out of 5]

To round out my reading list for Black History Month, I thought it was important to incorporate some nonfiction. If anything, my reading The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin had revealed to me that something that I assumed to be straightforward, namely the US civil rights movement, was more nuanced that I had assumed - and had several viewpoints or desired outcomes from both within and outside the movement. Therefore, it seemed only natural that I explore this topic deeper. I stumbled across this book in my library, and given my lack of awareness both within black and LGBTQ history, it seemed like the perfect choice.

I learned a lot from this book. I learned about how perceptions of gender and sexuality spearheaded and reinforced systems of slavery and oppression. I learned how narratives of non-conforming gender and sexuality that do not follow Eurocentric Christian expectations are all but removed from our early collective US history. And I learned that, despite Black LGBTQ people being at the forefront of all the major political movements focused on Black people, that such people were typically kept at the margins or ostracized altogether.

In particular, I was surprised to learn about the ways that the civil rights movement approached equality and integration. The leaders' messages were that Black people can embody the Eurocentric Christian lifestyles of white people, and therefore were just as deserving of rights. Anything that was not heterosexual, patriarchal, and Christian were threats to the overall movement, as they could be used to reinforce racist stereotypes about Black people. As such, some of the instrumental Black LGBTQ leaders of the movement were ostracized and became casualties of this movement for the greater cause of Black equality and to placate the vocal racist conservatives who fought against progress. This theme would continue in future movements too, as Black LGBTQ people had to fight for their presence in both Black and LGBTQ movements to highlight the issues that were integral to their lived experiences.

It's also interesting the role churches had on the Black community. As a source of homophobia, Black churches were the cause of Black LGBTQ people being ostracized from their own racial communities, and the main cause behind the political rift between Black and LGBTQ people.

My only critique of this work is that somewhat dry nature in which it was occasionally conveyed. This is my main critique of most nonfiction writing in general, so this isn't too much of a detriment. I'd also say that the organization of this book could have been a little clearer. It seemed that we jumped around in time quite a bit, when a more linear, chronological approach could have made things easier. That being said, it's clear that the focus of this book are the lives of certain people, and so it can be harder to discuss their impact without jumping around a bit in time.

Overall, I really appreciated an overview into a topic that I, admittedly, knew very little about. While there is still quite a bit more to learn about this topic, this book has certainly given me an appreciation for aspects of US history that I was otherwise ignorant of. It also specifically names people who have been otherwise removed from history, when they were instrumental in our progress forward as a nation.

[Nina DuBois · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Black Queer History of the United States is eye-opening and meticulously researched, illuminating the profound impact Black LGBTQ+ people have had on politics, culture, art, social movements, and intellectual life in the United States. Snorton traces a lineage that is too often erased, revealing how Black queer and transgender individuals have shaped this country — even when their identities were obscured, suppressed, or punished.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is its refusal to separate race, gender, and sexuality. Snorton carefully demonstrates how anti-Black racism and heteronormativity have functioned together, making clear that it is already dangerous to be Black in America — and that Black queer and transgender people have historically faced compounded marginalization, both from dominant society and, at times, within Black communities themselves. The text does not shy away from naming homophobia and transphobia where they have caused harm, even among other oppressed groups.

Snorton examines how Black queer figures in media, the military, religious spaces, and civil rights movements were often forced to conceal their identities. Many were erased once their sexuality or gender identity was revealed. Others were criminalized under sodomy laws, surveilled, institutionalized, or incarcerated simply for existing outside rigid social norms. The policing of gender expression — especially for Black transgender and gender-nonconforming people — is shown to be deeply entangled with state violence and systemic control.

What makes this book especially impactful is its clear connection between past and present. The fight detailed in these pages is not confined to history. The struggles for safety, visibility, and full humanity are ongoing. Black queer and transgender people are still disproportionately affected by violence, incarceration, healthcare inequities, and political attacks — and are often overlooked even within broader movements for racial justice or LGBTQ+ equality. The book deepens the understanding that this fight deserves acknowledgment, protection, and active solidarity.

[Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had read Black histories, read histories of LGBTQ+ peoples, etc. but I was interested in a history of Black Queer people. I am aware of conversations regarding Black and LGBTQ+ communities (and Black people who are also part of LGBTQ+ people, LGBTQ+ people who are Black, etc.) but it is not something I am a member of or can speak about, so I was looking forward to this.

From the earliest presence of Black people as slaves to the present day, the authors also look at various individuals and how they expressed their sexuality, gender identity, and more. How this was part of their lives (positive, negative), etc. From Cathay Williams (who joined the Army as William Cathay), to Civil Rights activist Bayard Rustin to more current people and movements including Black Lives Matter. These are compiled into relatively short chapters with a conclusion rounding up what the chapter aimed to cover.

There was a lot of interesting information that I did not know, plus it was helpful to have a work specifically focusing on as the cover says, the history of Black Queer people in the US. But I will say that it was very dull. I did not realize I had read another work by Snorton (Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity) and my reaction is similar. Lots of good information but overall the work reads too much like a formal academic paper.

I do certainly think it's worth a read and would not be surprised to see it pop up on college syllabi (it's probably not a HS-level book that may depend). What I very much appreciated is that the authors definitely kept it moving and did not try to dump the entire life stories of the individuals they profile. If this is a topic that interests you and you don't know much about it (like me), it's certainly worth a read.

Borrowed from the library and that was best for me.

[Chichigrrr · Rating 2 out of 5]

The reality that quality archival sources of black history in the US are few and far between and will always be deficient because of that history is such a compelling concept to explore. I wish we had dived deeper into it. Instead the authors kept bringing it up here and there, especially at the beginning and end of sections and essays, while the middle felt more like a different book. One that rather dryly summarized the lives of queer black people in history. Despite the college term paper writing (think "In this essay we will show," which is an writing style pet peeve of mine), I still found these sections sprinkled with interesting ideas, especially when discussing the interaction between the fight(s) for queer and black rights. Sometimes working together, sometimes at odds, but always in conversation. This was another really interesting topic I would like to learn more about.

I recognize the difficulty of writing this book, specifically because of the lack of traditional archival sources that could even so much as confirm that the individuals being written about considered themselves queer in the way we think about it now. That simple hurdle of, but wait, would this person claim that label now? Is it ethical to claim them as part of queer history if we don't know? Ugh, so interesting. But there was too much dry recitation of historical events and short bios of people's lives to really get into these cool ideas for me.

[G Hayden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5 stars
I found this books really interesting - I knew bits and pieces of black history and queer history in the USA, and the way that the authors brought together all the different stories throughout history showing how interlinked the civil rights and queer rights movements really made me appreciate it all the more. I enjoyed how the book showed the importance of acknowledging the importance of intersectionality when it comes to all rights movements; I was saddened but also not entirely surprised at how many times the civil rights movement threw the queer rights movements under the bus by trying to appeal to White people - something that has happened in other rights movements such as the suffragettes. I thought the books was very well researched and I learned of queer and gender non-conforming people I'd never heard of before. My only reason for knocking off half a star is that I listened to this as an audio book and the jarration was very flat and I found it difficult to fully focus and therefore I don't think I appreciated it as much as I would have had I read it. If I get a chance to get a paper copy of this I would.

[Brittany Hoskins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really disappointed by this book. I went into it excited to learn more about black history, about queer history, and most importantly, black queer history. Instead, I read 200 pages of what felt like a series of undergrad-level essays that just barely grabbed my attention before moving on to the next thing.

When I pick up a non-fiction book-- which I rarely do, and even more rarely do I physically read one as opposed to listening to its audiobook-- I expect to dive deeper into a subject than its corresponding Wikipedia article. Or, hell, for a topic as vast as this one, I'd take the same level of depth as Wikipedia. This book couldn't even deliver that.

Some chapters were better than others, but it really only heightened that disappointment when I finished said chapter and was met with the lackluster next. The writing style was meandering, surface-level, and overall unsatisfying.

I really only give 3 stars here because of the topic itself, and because I did manage to learn a thing or two despite itself. I can only hope someone does better in the future.

[Taylah Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a good tool for anyone who has not yet studied Blackness or queerness historically throughout American history so it has 100% hit its mark.

All of the topics, incidents and stories covered are topics that you will be aware of already if you have at all paid attention to both the Black Lives Matter movement and Queer history (I mean, its history, at a certain point you’re bound to be revisiting key moments over and over), however it is always a good thing to remind yourself of why intersectionality is not only important but pivotal inside of any rights movement whatsoever which makes it still worth a read.

I did find the note about James Baldwin being immortalised as a queer icon when he repeatedly throughout his life rejected the title particularly valuable. It goes against (or should…) the core beliefs of the LGBTQIA+ community to reject what someone’s self identity is and instead label them what we think they should be so I found that to be a fantastic note.

[Siobhan Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of those audio reads that I'd love to get a physical copy of so I can read it again as a physical book. I really enjoyed this book and learning more about the impact that Black people have had on queer history and culture in the US. Honestly, until I started watching RuPaul's Drag Race I had no idea the impact that Black Americans had on queer culture (I should state here I don't mean I saw RuPaul and was like "wow what an impact," but what is discussed on the show made me learn more and I realized how little I knew).

I really appreciated how this book was structured and the variety of topics it covered while bringing everything back to a central thesis. In particular, I really enjoyed learning more about Audre Lord and Angela Davis as I'd heard both of their names before but didn't know much about them beyond that. This is a great intro for anyone looking to learn more about Black history, queer culture and where they intersect.

[Mariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cohesive read about the intersectionality of racial and queer identities. This narrative is well-structured and thoroughly researched to deliver a very comprehensive historical overview. There is much to learn from these 200 pages. This is the type of history they rarely teach in depth in school unless it is a specialty. Take a walk with Riley Snorton and Darius Bost through this chunk of history.
If you are wondering if this book is worth picking up – do it. An eloquently written narrative with a splendid register that weaves academic and casual language to give the readers access to this critical history. Think of the flag being removed from Stonewall nearly two days before writing this review. This history is necessary and this is a form that defies eternity – even in the age of book bans.
I grabbed this from the library as a black history month recommendation, and I am now buying a copy to reread. How do we access equality if we cannot talk about our history? A black and trans centered perspective that highlights the amount of American History that is harmed by hateful social constructs against black and queer communities. Intersectionality is central.
For more tarot readings, recommendations, and reviews, https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com

[Marija · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book addresses a compelling and intellectually engaging subject, and it succeeds in presenting a substantial amount of informative material. The author touches upon numerous themes and historical developments, offering readers a broad overview of the topic. However, many of these points feel only briefly explored.
In terms of style and structure, the book often reads more like an academic thesis than a fully realized narrative history. While the scholarly rigor is evident, the prose at times becomes dense and overly discursive. The argument occasionally meanders, causing the work to lose focus and momentum.

[Dan Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introduction. I prefered the second half of the book with the focus on collective action. First half was ok but felt like I wanted (where possible) a deeper dig into the people mentioned - felt a bit surface level and jumping from one person to the next (realise there is a lot of history/people to cover and the authors probably wanted it to be kept pretty short for reading purposes). Took longer than expected to read - for me parts of it dragged and other bits flew by (in a good way). Good book overall - I want to read more about the people mentioned.

[tsanmii · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5. rounded up. I enjoyed how well-researched this was, especially regarding how queerness was regarded in 20th and 21st-century political movements and internally within Black communities. But I'm ngl, I started skim reading the last sections because the writing style, while discernibly academic, was quite laconic. I believe that telling history requires a high level of immersion to be achieved, and though I acknowledge that storytelling may not have been the book's objective, it was lacking in this aspect.

Thank you Black queer and trans people for giving us culture!!

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's funny to see parts of yourself in other people and care for them so deeply, especially when you share so little of your life with them because of time, space, and so many other factors I won't bore anyone with. This book is a much needed call for a broader understanding of the entire spectrum of queer struggles, intersectional and interdisciplinary approaches to equality, and remembering the past so we can better the future. An enriching read, for sure. I would recommend it in a heartbeat.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

While there is definitely importance to this subject matter, this clearly a thesis published as a book drifts everywhere and loses track of itself in the process. I did appreciate some of the history and objectivity on figures like Dubois and Baldwin in regards to their positions often not critiqued, but too often this became less about history and more about theory and needed a clear voice to dddig itself out.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read and an even better reminder that intersectionality is a MUST for the collective liberation, freedom, and sovereignty of all humans. It was so disheartening to read just how many times queer and trans people have been kept out of the conversations of equality and equal rights. Pushed aside time and time again until we realize that “none of us are free until we are all free.” We must create space for the most marginalized humans in the fight for justice and equality.

[Kai Stanciu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot and it’s an important side of history to tell. Black queer history has been erased from both sides and this book provides a lot of information about intersectionality and how we need to think more broadly in the fight for rights.

However, the writing style is a bit too dry for me and it ends up reading more like an academic paper. It also jumps back and forth in time too much and feels like a series of facts instead of a cohesive story.

[Alyx W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great source of information, and I respect immensely the work done here. The way the authors use fact and fiction to explore history is a perfect way to show not just what happened but how it impacted the communities affected. The only issues I had with it were just faults of the audiobook version, I think. I think this probably benefits more from reading the text directly, but maybe that's just how I process information.

[Chira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating, very well-researched, and analyzing more about how queer Black Americans responded to, fought against, or were forced to live said about the laws and choices society made about what has "normal" and "acceptable" than most anything else. Particularly single-issue groups, and how that intersectionality of identity meant that trans Black women slipped through just about every crack there was.

[Jay Demopoulos · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is quite informative and interesting but I really wanted more. I’m sure there were publication constraints but find it hard to comprehend that Black Queer history can be told in just 190 pages.

Many things were touched upon but they really could’ve been expanded here to make a much fuller and richer history

Still, it’s a fantastic read

[Lena Kantz · Rating 4 out of 5]

For such a short book, this really packed a punch! Much more holistic in its approach to many of the queer history events I knew of prior to reading and so many additions that I wasn’t aware of. My only ask would be for it to be longer! I have tons of things to go on deep dives into that’s for sure

[Slestein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Snorton and Bost are goated, this is great--such a good alternative to that Bronski book. This is super readable too, so if you struggled with "Black on Both Sides," you can get a lot of that analysis here. I don't know Bost's other work as well, but some of the later history here is clearly summarizing his earlier scholarship too.