Black AIDS Activists in New York and Their Battle Against Stigma in the 1980s and 1990s

Author: Elijah PooleDavis

Field of Study: Arts and Humanities

Program Affiliation: Source Project Research Program

Faculty Mentors: Will Glovinksy

Easel: 70

Timeslot: Midday

Abstract: The HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and 90s disproportionately affected the African American community, intensifying racialized stigma and amplifying racial divides. This project explores how Black AIDS activists centered in the New York area challenged these stigmas and transformed public attitudes towards HIV/AIDS. Central to these efforts were partnerships with Black churches and community organizations to promote acceptance and empathy. Drawing on oral histories, artwork from the Gran Fury collective, and documents from church-based outreach programs, this project analyzes how Black activists such as Kendall Thomas and Ron Medley uniquely redefined the narrative around HIV/AIDS, not only as a medical crisis, but as a moral one as well. By bringing these underrepresented methods to light, this study aims to reveal the unique strategies employed by Black activists, highlighting their contribution to broadening HIV/AIDS discourses and offering a framework for future public health initiatives.