Lecturer embodies black gay men to tell their tales of hardship and triumph

Johnson, “a man of many hats”, currently serves as Professor, Chair, and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Performance Studies and Professor in African American Studies at Northwestern University.
He is currently promoting his forthcoming book, “Pouring Tea: Black Gay Men of the South Tell Their Tales”, which the content for his performance lecture was taken from.

It has been 40 years since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the university honored his memory Friday afternoon with a lecture by a man who “represents everything that Mr. King stood for”.

Dr. E. Patrick Johnson, an expert lecturer in the field of gay and African-American studies spoke at the 14^th annual Andrea Carson Coley Lecture in Women’s Studies on tolerance and acceptance of black gay men living in the South

Johnson introduced himself by filling the M. Smith Griffith Auditorium at the Georgia Museum of Art with his strong, dynamic voice singing the refrain of an old slave song.

And the excitement never let up.

From the moment Johnson took the stage, the 50-person audience was engaged by his passionate discussion and insight into the lives of the black gay men he met and interviewed.

Johnson told the stories of six black gay men, from the ages of 19 to 93, who were all born, raised, and continue to live in the South.

His performance included:

• Freddie on "Growing up in the South"- a story of neglect and mistreatment in early childhood. Freddies' intense counseling helped him realize that most of he and his partner [of 40 years] problems were stemmed from his parents problems and that he had to stop the cycle of hate.
• Michael on "Coming Out"- a story about telling his family he was gay and learning that "being gay never changes who I am".
  
• Chaz/Chastity on "Being Transgendered"- a story of a man who chose not to go through with surgery to change his sex due to moral and spiritual reasons.
• "Countess Vivian" on "Coming of Age in the 1920s and 30s"- a story of a 93 year old black gay man living just one block away from Bourbon St. in the French Quarter of New Orleans and what it was like being gay during prohibition and the Depression.
• Stephen on "Masculinity and Peer Pressure"- a story of a man who tried to deny being gay for many years and convince his family he was 'masculine' until he finally stopped "ignoring the fight" within himself and became comfortable with himself as a gay man.
• Duncan Teague on "Being a Southern Diva"- a story of a proud black gay man who is not afraid to take a stand and have an influence.
  

Johnson narrated each story in the authentic voice and personality of the person whose story he was telling and made the very different characters come to life.

From “Southern Diva” Duncan Teague to transgendered Chaz/Chastity, Johnson says he hopes his book and performances helps to reaffirm the lives of the men he interviewed.

“I want to debunk the myth about the South not being a hospitable place for black gay men,” Johnson said when asked about his motivation for the book.

“I hope my book helps somebody who is struggling with their sexuality.”

The Andrea Carson Coley Lecture series is presented by the Institute for Women’s Studies and the Georgia Museum of Art, and each year brings to campus an outstanding scholar in the field of lesbian and gay studies.

Johnson’s book is set to launch on Labor Day weekend, and while he hopes to begin touring below the Mason-Dixon line in the summer, Friday was the first performance Johnson has done in the South.

“One of the men from my book, Chaz, is ready to go [debut the book],” said Johnson, “He calls me three times a week asking if we are going on Oprah yet.”

Johnson says he is excited about the impact his book will have and that he hopes these men will benefit from “seeing their lives on stage”.