Title: Oral history interview with Mel Thomas recorded 2002 Nov. 1 

Creator: Thomas, Mel;

Description: Interview conducted by S. Essilfe.  Mel Thomas grew up in the Hartford area.  He is known for being an activist for the gay African American community.  He established organizations such as Kwanzaa and Brothers for Brothers, which gave support for and addressed the issues of gay black men.  Thomas addresses the common issues of internalized racism and internalized homophobia within the parameters of the support groups.  He also is active in providing education about AIDS and the prevention of HIV.  During the interview Thomas describes the long process of coming out, and how he came to the realization that he was gay.  He also talks about the issues of equality that face homosexual African Americans, and how those issues have changed over the past few decades. 

Date: 11/1/2002

Location: Hartford (Conn.)

Subject: Homosexuality -- United States -- Personal narratives; African Americans -- Race identity; Gays -- United States -- Identity;

Contributors: Essilfe, S.;

Publisher: Central Connecticut State University

Relation: GLBTQ Archives;

Type: moving image

Duration: 0:41:50

Format: video/x-ms-wmv

Language: eng

OCLC number: 435490464

Date created: 7/28/2009

Date modified: 7/28/2009

Reference URL: http://cdm16627.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/GLBTQ/id/5

CONTENTdm number: 5

CONTENTdm file name: 7.asx

CONTENTdm file path: /GLBTQ/image/7.asx

Originally at: http://video.ccsu.edu/library/glbtq/glbtq2002_mel_thomas.wmv