“Becoming Visible: The First Black Lesbian Conference” poster (1980). Oakland Museum of California.“

“Becoming Visible: The First Black Lesbian Conference” poster (1980). Oakland Museum of California.“The purpose of the conference is to create a national network for black women, to reach black lesbians who live in isolated areas, to educate ourselves, and to affirm our individuality … We’ve run into black lesbians who live in areas where they don’t meet other black lesbians, or if they do there might be one or two and they’re not politically active. Women need to know that there are other black lesbians out there; we’re not visible in the communities at all. We’re not visible as black lesbians in the gay community, and we’re not visible as lesbians in the black community … We would like to communicate with each other, help each other to be stronger in the communities, become more visible politically and socially, and the only way to do that is for us to know how to reach each other. Our theme is ‘Becoming Visible,’ and what it means is we would like to become visible to each other. If we become visible to ourselves, then that’s the beginning of becoming visible in the community.“— Marie Renfro, conference organizer, in an interview on The Gay Life radio series (October 11, 1980).“Nearly 200 Black women from across the country attended the historic event. The conference was an outgrowth of the first National Third World Lesbian and Gay Conference held in Washington, D.C. in October of last year. One of the stated goals was to address the varied needs of Black Lesbians and, ‘to provide the courage and strength necessary to make those needs felt in places where it becomes necessary.’ Two days of workshops addressed basic issues and problems relevant to Black Lesbians including, ‘Black women and Imperialism,’ ‘Interracial Relationships,’ and ‘Black Women and Feminism.’ There was also a workshop aimed at teenage Lesbians. Noted activist Angela Davis delivered the keynote address and called the conference ‘a turning point in the women’s movement and an historic event for all Black people.’”— “Making History in SF: The First Black Lesbian Conference,” Chi Hughes, Blacklight, Vol. 2, No. 3 (1981). -- source link

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