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"His name was William Dorsey Swann, but to his friends he was known as “the Queen.” Both of those names had been forgotten for nearly a century before I rediscovered them while researching at Columbia University. Born in Maryland in 1860, Swann endured slavery, the Civil War, racism, police surveillance, torture behind bars, and many other injustices. But beginning in the 1880s, he not only became the first American activist to lead a queer resistance group, he also became, in the same decade, the first known person to dub himself a “queen of drag”—or, more familiarly, a drag queen.
In 1896, after being convicted and sentenced to ten months in jail, on the false charge of “keeping a disorderly house”—a euphemism for running a brothel—Swann demanded (and was denied) a pardon from President Grover Cleveland for holding a drag ball. This, too, was a historic act: it made Swann the earliest recorded American to take specific legal and political steps to defend the queer community’s right to gather without the threat of criminalization, suppression, or police violence.
When I tell people that I’m writing a book about the life of a former slave who reigned over a secret world of drag balls in Washington, DC, in the 1880s, the looks of shock, delight, and even confusion on their faces tell me all I need to know".
In 1896, after being convicted and sentenced to ten months in jail, on the false charge of “keeping a disorderly house”—a euphemism for running a brothel—Swann demanded (and was denied) a pardon from President Grover Cleveland for holding a drag ball. This, too, was a historic act: it made Swann the earliest recorded American to take specific legal and political steps to defend the queer community’s right to gather without the threat of criminalization, suppression, or police violence.
When I tell people that I’m writing a book about the life of a former slave who reigned over a secret world of drag balls in Washington, DC, in the 1880s, the looks of shock, delight, and even confusion on their faces tell me all I need to know".
The First Drag Queen - American Academy
Posted from americanacademy.de
LGBTQ+
Slavery
Racism
American History
Washington
Posted 10 mo ago
Responses: 2
3
3
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."TRANSCRIPT
- Today, I'm taking you all the way back to the late 1800s to meet an enslaved person who became a queen.
William Dorsey Swann was born into servitude and grew up to become one of the first American activists to spearhead a queer resistance group.
He was also the first person known to refer to himself as a queen of drag, and that's not all.
Swann was the first person to use the legal and political system to fight for the right of the queer community to gather in America.
Ooh, exciting.
Hi, y'all, I'm Peppermint, New York City's delightful diva, and welcome to a special episode of 'Masters of Drag.'
We start our story on one fine spring night in April, 1888, Swann was hosting one of his typical elicit dance parties at a Washington D.C. dive, and the room was filled by dozens of Black men dressed in women's silks and satins.
The police were called, and when they barged in to shutdown the party, the attendees scattered, rushing to pull off their wigs and even jumping outta windows.
(glass shatters) According to the National Republican newspaper, Swann was one of the few who didn't run.
In fact, he reportedly stood up to the arresting officers and boldly declared, 'You is no gentlemen.'
This act of resistance started a brawl with the officers, in which Swann's cream-colored satin dress was allegedly ripped to shreds. (shrieks) Almost a dozen men escaped arrest, but another dozen, plus a half-naked Swann were carted off to jail.
Articles about the raid in various newspapers identified Swann as 'The Queen' and described how hundreds of people followed the party guests down the road as police arrested them and took them to the local station.
Now, if you Google William Dorsey Swann, you'll see this photo pop up.
While we love it, it's not of Ms. Swann.
It's actually a photo of a different drag performer named Mr. Brown."...
..."TRANSCRIPT
- Today, I'm taking you all the way back to the late 1800s to meet an enslaved person who became a queen.
William Dorsey Swann was born into servitude and grew up to become one of the first American activists to spearhead a queer resistance group.
He was also the first person known to refer to himself as a queen of drag, and that's not all.
Swann was the first person to use the legal and political system to fight for the right of the queer community to gather in America.
Ooh, exciting.
Hi, y'all, I'm Peppermint, New York City's delightful diva, and welcome to a special episode of 'Masters of Drag.'
We start our story on one fine spring night in April, 1888, Swann was hosting one of his typical elicit dance parties at a Washington D.C. dive, and the room was filled by dozens of Black men dressed in women's silks and satins.
The police were called, and when they barged in to shutdown the party, the attendees scattered, rushing to pull off their wigs and even jumping outta windows.
(glass shatters) According to the National Republican newspaper, Swann was one of the few who didn't run.
In fact, he reportedly stood up to the arresting officers and boldly declared, 'You is no gentlemen.'
This act of resistance started a brawl with the officers, in which Swann's cream-colored satin dress was allegedly ripped to shreds. (shrieks) Almost a dozen men escaped arrest, but another dozen, plus a half-naked Swann were carted off to jail.
Articles about the raid in various newspapers identified Swann as 'The Queen' and described how hundreds of people followed the party guests down the road as police arrested them and took them to the local station.
Now, if you Google William Dorsey Swann, you'll see this photo pop up.
While we love it, it's not of Ms. Swann.
It's actually a photo of a different drag performer named Mr. Brown."...
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Drag queens were common in Native American culture. In fact many held important counselling positions.
Some conservatives just continue to deny history.
Some conservatives just continue to deny history.
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