History in Color: Depicting the Black, Queer and Forgotten

As a Black and non-binary person, I often feel disconnected from my own history. I see those in power (the cis, white and heterosexual) being depicted in gorgeous and timeless fashions, and I see people like me becoming quickly forgotten — our history altered, if not totally erased. As a result of this systemic erasure, Blackness and queerness are often seen as separate entities, whose history is recent and shallow. However, through History in Color: Depicting the Black, Queer and Forgotten, I demonstrate the contrary: that Blackness and queerness are inseparable, and that our history spans across time and space. This series of works, created digitally in Clip Studio Paint and Procreate, depicts Black & LGBTQ+ historical figures across all eras — from ancient Africa, to the Middle Passage, to the Stonewall Riots and recent history. To those who see themselves among these faces, remember to celebrate who you are. Though we exist in a world that does not want us here, be proud: for this was our world to begin with. We have always been here, and we will not be forgotten.