Black History Month
Q-NOTES • FEBRUARY 12 . 2005
For Black History Month: HRC
Carolinas boasts long history
with African-Americans
A took at HRCs stellar line up of LGBT
African-Americans who have been involved
with the event over the years
by Shane Windmeyer
In 1998 Rep. Eva Clayton was invited to
address the Carolinas Dinner audience and
did. She has continued to attend on several
occasions in the ensuing years.
In 1999 Rep. Mel Watt was honored and
recognized on stage at the Carolinas Dinner
for his support of equal rights and federal
legislation affecting the LGBT community.
Watt has continued to make an appearance
at the dinner since that time.
In 2003, Dan Blue, former speaker of the
N.C. Senate, was invited to speak at the
dinner and accepted.
At the 2004 dinner. Rev. Tonyia Rawls
was presented with the HRC Equality
Award for Community Service. Her work
was featured on film during the program
and she accepted the award on stage.
At the 2003 dinner, the Imani Ensemble
of Imani MCC in Durham opened the
evening’s event with music and song.
Also in 2003, Rev. Wanda Floyd and
Sheryl Griffin were featured in a film seg
ment about LGBT families and their life
experiences. Griffin serves on the HRC
Carolina Steering Committee and is co
chair of the second annual “Gospel and
Unity Celebration” event in Raleigh,
planned for October 2005. Floyd has
been a frequent guest on town hall dis
cussion panels sponsored by HRC in
the TViangle area. Both Floyd and
Griffin are featured in HRC’s national
media communication program high
lighting LGBT families, their lives and
the issues they face.