Black & Gay In New Orleans From The 60s On: "You Get Up, You Dust Yourself Off, And You Fight On."

Being a black man in the 1960s in New Orleans, Michael Hickerson was no stranger to racism. It was even more disappointing when he experienced it within the LGBTQ community. He didn’t let that stop his desire to help others, though, whether it was supporting those living with HIV, or helping people recover from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.


Story 1 - 0:08
First Shunned By Neighbors, Then The Bars: Being Black In New Orleans In The 1960s and 1970s.

Story 2 - 5:00
1970s: Combatting Racism In The New Orleans Gay Bar Scene.

Story 3 - 8:05
1980s: Challenging The Racism In New Orleans’ Infamous Gay Mardi Gras Krewes: “I Did Realize That There Were No Blacks.”

Story 4 - 13:47
1980s-2000s: In The Face Of HIV/AIDS, Gay Man Channels His Popularity And Expertise To Serve His Community.

Story 5 - 20:30
2005: The Devastation of Hurricane Katrina: “It Just Destroyed The HIV Community.”

Story 6 - 25:14
Gay Man Leverages New Orleans Tradition To Bring HIV/AIDS Awareness And Education To The Community.


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