Black LGBTQ+ Population in California

This infographic gives an overview of statistics on Black LGBTQ+ life from the California Health Interview Survey and cross referenced with the American Community Survey (U.S. Census). In November 2024 California consecrated marriage equality in its state constitution and repealed Proposition 8, a proposition that would ban same-sex marriage. While the front for LGBTQ+ rights has moved past marriage equality in recent years, the fight over Proposition 8 was an inflection point as it turned on a Supreme Court decision that declined an appeal to uphold Proposition 8, thereby giving legal precedent for same-sex marriage. While we find the Black LGBTQ+ population to be small portion of the Black community in California their stories and lives are no less important to highlight here. This also becomes reparative in that Du Bois’s original data portraits does not address these Black communities. As we reimagine his original works for the 21st Century, we recognized the significant contributions of LGBTQ+ communities in Black life today. Our portrait references the original “Pride Flag” created in 1978 by Gilbert Baker as commission by local legend, Mayor Harvey Milk. The creation of this artwork incorporates a direct impression of a flag etched into the plate allowing the weave of the fabric to be visible under the colors.