The LGBT Center brings in Black History Month with Bessie.
The LGBT Center will be getting a little jazzy with its movie screening this week.
Bessie, a 2015 film starring Queen Latifah as Bessie Smith and Mo’Nique as Ma Rainey, will be screened Friday by the LGBT Center. The film surrounds the life and career of legendary blues singer Bessie Smith.
Bessie Smith, commonly known as “Empress of the Blues” for her soulful and powerful voice, had hit songs such as “Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out” and “Down Hearted Blues.” During her career, she worked with artists such as Louis Armstrong, James P. Johnson and Fletcher Henderson.
Smith’s career was tragically cut short after being killed in an automobile accident in 1937. Artists that have given praise to Smith include Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin and Billie Holiday.
Oliver Stone, a worker in the LGBT Center, said he liked how accurately the film portrayed Bessie Smith’s trials and tribulations.
“They showed the fact that she was a bisexual and a very strong women,” Stone, a junior studying psychology, said. “They portrayed how she was able to deal with the racism, sexism, homophobia and the general abuse she had to suffer through.”
During Bessie’s life, she suffered abuse from her sister, Viola, as well as being in a troubled relationship with her husband, Jack Gee. She also had to deal with the pressures of identifying as bisexual when members of the LGBT community were shunned in the 1920s.
delfin bautista, director of the LGBT Center, said they wanted to choose a film over a documentary to draw in more students.
“The reason we choose a film over a documentary was that sometimes documentaries are very heady and academic,” bautista, who uses they/them pronouns and the lowercase spelling of their name, said. “We wanted something that was more accessible and hopefully will draw a mixed crowd.”
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The LGBT Center is collaborating with the Multicultural Center and the Black Student Cultural Programming Board during Black History Month to host National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, which is Feb. 7.
This year, these organizations will collaborate to show films discussing intersections of race and sexual orientation.
“I’ve recognized that a lot of students aren’t aware of our history as a LGBT, especially when it comes to intersections with race and other identities,” bautista said. “This month we are going to talk about it, but it won’t be the only time it will be highlighted.”
Carey Camry, special coordinator for the LGBT Center, said the center gives students a place to relax and learn about LGBT figures.
“I enjoy learning about people in the LGBT Community, because there wasn’t a place to learn about them growing up,” Camry said in an email. “Also it is a great way to relax after a long day of classes.”
Camry also admired how Bessie talks about many aspects most films will not discuss.
“I think that movies like Bessie are needed because there are not that many Queer people of color films,” she said in an email.
Stone hopes that members of the LGBT community and beyond will be strengthened by Bessie.
“I hope that it shows LGBT and multicultural youth that you always should fight for dignity and respect” Stone said. “That is something that you have to fight for since people will often try to take that away from you.”
@jcooke1996
