Black Gay History in London

Starting February 7, London's Museum in Docklands will host an exhibition called Outside Edge, documenting the experiences of black lesbians and gay men in Britain. If you happen to be there February 23, you're in luck: It's their Study Day, with a series of programs and panels featuring black members of the former Gay Liberation Front, New York's own Stephen Fullwood, project director of the Black Gay and Lesbian Archive at the Schomburg Center, a celebration of black lesbian playwrights, and a look, ten years after his death, at the legacy of Justin Fashanu (above), Britain's first black soccer player to be paid one million pounds, who came out mid-career, on October 22, 1990. In March of 1998, in the United States, a 17 year old male told police that after drinking, he ended up in Fashanu's bed and was sexually assaulted. In September 1998, British police said the U.S. police had ended their investigation for lack of evidence and despite public reports there had never been a warrant for Fashanu's arrest. Redeeming his reputation, they were too late to save Fashanu, who had committed suicide in May. Black History Month begins two weeks from today. How much of it here will include gay history?