Men of All Colors Together Boston records

Collection

Identifier: M068

Scope and Content Note

The Men of All Colors Together Boston records document the activities of the chapter from its inception in 1980 through 1999. The collection also contains information about the activities of the national organization, particularly during the mid-1980s, when John E. Bush, a founding member of Men of All Colors Together Boston, was a national co-chair. As an early chapter, and one with such personal ties to the national organization, members expressed a desire to document their history both locally and nationally.

The collection includes Men of All Colors Together Boston newsletters, 1980-1999, which contain news, calendars, editorials, and calls for both political and social involvement. These provide the most comprehensive documentation of the chapter's activities, as well as its developing political agenda.

The majority of the collection is found in six scrapbooks, assembled by the late Nelson P. Rivera. The scrapbooks contain clippings, letters, photographs, flyers, and memorabilia. Of particular interest are the fourth scrapbook, made in memory of Men of All Colors Together Boston members who passed away in the last 20 years, and the fifth scrapbook, containing materials relating to the 1988 national convention in Boston. For preservation, the scrapbooks were disassembled and contents were removed from the pages and placed in folders, maintaining their original order.

The remainder of the collection includes similar materials that were not bound into scrapbooks: certificates, clippings, photographs, bylaws, meeting minutes, and ephemera. Of particular interest are two internal position papers, outlining the chapter's stances on urban gentrification and the definition of racism, and three bound documents: a 1984 Boston Bar Study, documenting the levels of institutionalized racism in Boston nightlife; "Reflections," a collection of meditative essays produced in the first five years of the organization; and a memoir, recounting the life story of an unidentified intersexed individual who was connected with Men of All Colors Together Boston.

Dates

Creation: 1980-2000

Creator

Men of All Colors Together Boston (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access:

The collection is unrestricted.

Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use:

Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the University Archivist.

Historical Note

Men of All Colors Together Boston, the Boston chapter of the National Association of Black and White Men Together, was founded in 1980, and is the second-oldest national chapter and the oldest interracial gay group on the East Coast.

Black and White Men Together was founded in San Francisco in 1980, as a result of an ad placed by Mike Smith, the first co-chair, "looking for other men interested in forming an interracial gay organization." (Marke 8) As both a social and political organization, the National Association of Black and White Men Together is "committed to fostering supportive environments wherein racial and cultural barriers can be overcome and the goal of Human Equality realized. To these ends, we engage in Educational, Political, Cultural, and Social activities as a means of dealing with the Racism, Sexism, Homophobia, HIV/AIDS Discrimination and other inequalities in our community and in our lives." (www.nabwmt.com) The Boston chapter has always been closely involved with this mission. They have actively participated in Boston's political campaigns, supporting openly gay and gay-positive candidates. Through the prominent involvement of several members, they have generated support for outreach programs for homeless lesbian and gay persons. The group produced and publicized a set of guidelines for AIDS activism within the Men of All Colors Together Boston framework. Moved by similar protests in New York City, Men of All Colors Together Boston has also campaigned for an end to racial discrimination at Boston nightclubs.

In addition to political work, Men of All Colors Together Boston also serves as a social focal point for the interracial gay community in Boston. From its inception, galas and outings have been an integral part of the Men of All Colors Together Boston program, encouraging interracial contact in a fun and welcoming environment. Monthly meetings are accompanied by dinner, major holidays are celebrated with theme parties, and members regularly organize outings to Boston's museums, parks, cultural events, and nightlife.

Men of All Colors Together Boston was originally formed with the name Boston Black and White Men Together, following the lead of the San Francisco chapter. The name was deliberately chosen for its shock value, and initially did reflect the racial makeup of the organization. However, chapters swiftly incorporated men of many racial backgrounds, who were attracted by the organization's dual approach to fighting racism through political action and socializing. Despite lengthy and vocal discussion in 1987, the national organization resisted changing its name to the more inclusive Men of All Colors Together, preferring to retain the political message of Black and White Men Together; nonetheless, many local chapters made the change in the next several years, including Boston, in 1989.

The difference over naming illustrates the unusual relationship between the national organization and its local chapters. In the early 1980s, local chapters, recognizing that a focused national presence could lend additional credence to their efforts to organize widespread social change, selected two men as national co-chairs. Although the national organization quickly became a visible political entity, the chapters were unwilling to develop a top-down hierarchy. The political program of the national organization is determined by a loose consensus, and promulgated by the two elected co-chairs. The national organization does not have the authority to set rules and regulations for the local chapters.

Men of All Colors Together Boston recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, and remains a strong presence in Boston, both in and out of the gay community.

Extent

1.7 cubic feet (3 containers, 1 flat file)

Language

English

Additional Description

Overview

Men of All Colors Together Boston is the Boston chapter of the National Association of Black and White Men Together. Men of All Colors Together Boston was founded in 1980, and is the oldest interracial gay group on the East Coast. As both a social and political organization, Men of All Colors Together Boston is committed to fostering supportive environments wherein racial and cultural inequalities may be overcome. They engage in educational, political, cultural, and social activities.

Overview

The Men of All Colors Together Boston records document the activities of the chapter from its inception in 1980 through 1999. The collection also contains information about the activities of the national organization, the National Association of Black and White Men Together. The collection contains a complete series of Men of All Colors Together Boston newsletters; six scrapbooks of clippings, photographs, letters, and flyers; and other memorabilia.

System of Arrangement:

Arranged in one alphabetical sequence.

Physical Location

65/3, FF4/D2

Bibliography

Jim Marke, "10 Years of Black and White Men Together," Equal Time, 3 August-17 August, 1990: 8-16. Box 1, Folder 5.
National Association of Black and White Men Together, "National Association of Black and White Men Together," 14 November, 2001, (http://www.nabwmt.com/) (30 November 2001)