SGL Contents
Photo Courtesty of John Bazemore/Associate Press
Editors Letter On Page 3 E. Lynn Harris Gone To Soon On Page 4 Every Day is Truly a Gift--Rest in Peace, E. Lynn On Page 7 A Life in Photos on Page 12 Birthdays July 18,2009-Maurice Runea July 28,2009-Adam Benjamin Irby July 29,2009- Patrik Ian- Polk
Editors Letter
Tribute to The Greatest Man Usually I get on the Computer everyday, but lately I have been cutting back. So on Thursday I didn’t check anything and I am sorry I didn’t. I missed the last update from Lynn. I usually stop by his Facebook or Myspace page to see what he is up to send a word of encouragement or to. I remember the Birthday Email that I received from him this year it did my heart to great joy. To know that the man I have read for years and now know as friend would take the time out of his busy day to wish me Happy Birthday. But on Friday night I went to my computer and saw that he was number one on yahoo search engine I thought ok this must be some great news about his new book. Never in a million years would I have thought it would be what I had read “Bestselling Black Gay Author E. Lynn Harris dies at 54”. My heart never hurt so much since I lost my grandmother, Michael Jackson and Princess Diana. I had been suffering from chest pains all week and for this to happen. Lynn burst on the seen in 1991 with his self published first book “Invisible Life” and he changed the paradigm of the Black Gay man’s experience forever, long before J.L. King’s story. I personally started reading Lynn in 2000, when my class mates turn me on to black authors. I remember reading Just As I am first and this book bringing out all of my feelings that I had built up in me for the same sex. This book let me know that it is ok to love a man and it not be weird, it let me know that it was right and safe. Then after I finished that one I went back to Barnes and Noble to decide which book should I get next and I picked up And This Too Shall Pass and that’s when I was hook to this author. I have continued to follow all of his work and recommendations. It saddens me that we have lost a legend in the SGL Community and in the publishing world. We can only remember all of the giving and work that he has done. Everette Lynn Harris may you finely get rest. Your work will not be in vain and will continue in the next generation of writer. Thank you for all the years you gave us. Be Blessed, Cleavester Brooks Editor In Chief sglweeklymag@gmail.com
E. Lynn Harris Gone To Soon By ERRIN HAINES, Associated Press Writer
Long before the secret world of closeted black gay men came to light in America, bestselling author E. Lynn Harris introduced a generation of black women to the phenomenon known as the "down low." Harris endeared such characters to readers who were otherwise unfamiliar with them, using themes and backdrops familiar to urban professionals, conditioned by their upbringings, their church leaders or their friends to condemn and criticize homosexuality in the African-American community. A proud Razorback cheerleader at the University of Arkansas who struggled with his own sexuality before becoming a pioneer of gay black fiction, Harris died Thursday at age 54 while promoting his latest book in Los Angeles. Publicist Laura Gilmore said Harris died Thursday night after being stricken at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills, and a cause of death had not been determined. She said Harris, who lived in Atlanta, fell ill on a train to Los Angeles a few days ago and blacked out for a few minutes, but seemed fine after that. An improbable and inspirational success story, Harris worked for a decade as an IBM executive before taking up writing, selling the novel "Invisible Life" from his car as he visited salons and beauty parlors around Atlanta. He had unprecedented success for an openly gay black author and his strength as a romance writer led some to call him the "male Terry McMillan." In 15 years, Harris became the genre's most successful author, penning 11 titles, ten of them New York Times bestsellers. More than four million of his books are in print. McMillan had just spoken to Harris about a week ago, to tell him she would pay tribute to him in her upcoming book by having a character read one of his titles, "And This Too Shall Pass." "He was thrilled," McMillan said. "I loved his spirit and generosity. I loved that he found his own niche in the world of fiction, and I'm grateful to have known him. This just breaks my heart."
He went on to mainstream success with works such as the novel "Love of My Own" and the memoir "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted." Harris' storytelling fell into several categories, including gay and lesbian fiction, African American fiction and urban fiction. But he found success in showing readers a new side of African American life: the secret world of professional, bisexual black men living as heterosexuals. His readers, many of them young black, professional women of dating age, were fascinated and shocked to learn that the men in their lives could be attracted to other men. Harris' vivid storytelling — at least somewhat grounded in his reality and of others whom he knew — pulled back the curtain for some and held up the mirror for others.
"He was a pioneering voice within the black LGBT community, but also resonated with mainstream communities, regardless of race and sexual orientation," said Herndon Davis, a gay advocate and a diversity media consultant in Los Angeles. "Harris painted with eloquent prose and revealing accuracy the lives of African American men and the many complicated struggles they faced reconciling their sexuality and spirituality while rising above societal taboos within the black community." For years, he was alone in exposing the "down low," but the phenomenon exploded into mainstream culture in 2004, a decade after "Invisible Life." That year, J.L. King's "On the Down Low: A Journey Into the Lives of 'Straight' Black Men Who Sleep With Men" hit bookstores and the author appeared on Oprah Winfrey's TV show. Harris' 1994 debut, "Invisible Life," was a coming-of-age story that dealt with the then-taboo topic. "If you were African American and you were gay, you kept your mouth shut and you went on and did what everybody else did," Harris said in an interview last year. "You had girlfriends, you lived a life that your parents had dreamed for you." Harris was born in Flint, Mich., in 1955 and raised in Little Rock, Ark. He attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville where he was the school's first black yearbook editor, the first black male Razorbacks cheerleader and president of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He graduated with honors with a degree in journalism.
Harris worked in corporate America for 13 years at IBM, Hewlett-Packard and At&T before quitting a career in sales to become an author. He was not living as an openly gay man when "Invisible Life" was published, and could not acknowledge the parallels between himself and the book. "People would often ask, 'Is this book about you?' I didn't want to talk about that," he said. "I wasn't comfortable talking about it. I would say that this is a work of fiction." Harris said that the courage readers got from the book empowered him to be honest about himself. He continued to tell stories dealing with similar issues, to tell black middle class readers about people they knew, but who were living secret lives. Tilia Parks read "Invisible Life" as a 16-year-old and was moved by the struggle of someone so close to her own age. "I loved the truthfulness of it," said Parks, now 26, of Atlanta. "I'd never heard that point of view, of a guy finding himself and his sexuality at such a young age." Parks had looked forward to the next plot twist for the book's main character, Raymond Tyler, who reappeared in subsequent titles has not been in Harris' more recent works. With Harris' death, Parks is saddened that his story may be gone. "Loyal readers were looking for that," Parks said. "I'm so sad. I was waiting for him to come back around and start talking about Raymond." ___ Associated Press Writers Bob Jablon and Solvej Schou in Los Angeles; AP Writer Michelle Locke in San Francisco; AP Writer Noah Trister in Little Rock, Ark.; and AP National Writer Hillel Italie in New York contributed to this report.
Every Day is Truly a Gift--Rest in Peace, E. Lynn By: Zane
I have sat around the majority of this evening trying to find the words to express my sentiments regarding the homegoing of one of the greatest voices in literature—not African-American literature but literature period. I spent a few hours answering advice emails, played with a strange puppy that wandered onto my doorstep, joked around with my children, and even played online Spades; all the while trying to think of what I wanted to say—or if I should even say anything at all. Then I decided that I had to say something and I had to do it before I went to sleep tonight. I was on a business call around one o’clock today when I read a message on Facebook from a young lady informing me that E. Lynn had passed. Stunned does not quite capture my initial thought. Death is never easy but it seems almost implausible when someone is as full of energy, determination, and talent as he was. A true visionary, E. Lynn’s voice will be legendary and he opened the door for many others to walk through. When I read his autobiography years ago, What Becomes of the Brokenhearted, I could not help but to admire the courage that it must have taken to not only write down everything that he had endured, but to allow the world to share in his plight. He was able to accomplish so much, despite everything that he had overcome. I know that feeling well but do not think that I could ever open up my life like that to the world. It would be much too painful for me, but E. Lynn did it with grace and dignity, realizing that by exposing his trials and tribulations, it could and would help others. E. Lynn was always willing to assist in any way that he could. Last year, I asked if he would travel to Dallas to do an event at the Black Academy of Arts and Letters. He immediately accepted, even though his assistant would have to drive him there and even though the stipend offered would not even cover his expenses. Like me, he realized that there was a much deeper purpose to our presence there and it was a wonderful weekend for a worthy cause. I saw his book on the new releases shelf in a bookstore last week and I was so happy for him to have “birthed another baby.” That is what books are for authors who are passionate about their work. Books are like our children that we have to eventually cut the umbilical cord on and send out into the world alone. I cannot help but wonder, had not God called him home, how many more children he would have realized.
After I heard about his death, I had to leave home to attend my daughter’s hip hop dance recital. My thoughts on the way to her summer camp were that it was such a shame that he would not get to see his work on the big screen. I realized that it meant so much to him; we had numerous conversations about it. Hollywood has a tendency to option our books and then go out and commission screenplays that could never truly represent us like novels. Novels have intense storylines, flushed out characters, and are beloved by avid readers; three elements that “written-for-the-screen” movies tend to lack. Later on, I read an article that stated that he was in California to discuss movie deals. I can only imagine his excitement that maybe, just maybe, after so many years someone was going to finally “get the point.” I will not go on and on; you all know how long-winded I can be. However, I want to stress a few things that all of us should take away from the life (and death) of such a wonderful spirit. Every day is truly a gift. I do not say that on a constant basis simply to say it. It means something to me. I even have a plaque in my office that states it. Every day is a gift that must be embraced because that day will never come our way again. Life is too short for pettiness and drama. As I walked through the Harlem Book Festival last weekend, and many people who used to talk down to me, or about me, came up to me and embraced me or spoke to me, someone asked me how I could be so kind to those who had tried to destroy me. My response was that I do not carry things like that in my heart. Only I truly understand my journey and what is for me will be for me. Just like what was for E. Lynn was for him, and no one could take that away, or distract him from his path. So for those of you who loved him, I am sure he loved you back. For those of you who criticized him, I seriously doubt that he took it personally. His talent could not be disputed and his voice could not be silenced, for as long as we had him in our presence. I hope and pray that E. Lynn will continue to do God’s work and that his death will serve as a motivational tool for the tens of thousands of people who aspire to be published writers, or those who wish to realize any other dream. It is important to thank God not only for all of the things that He has given us, but also for all of the things that He has taken away. For without failure and a great deal of loss, one can never truly be inspired. I will miss you, E. Lynn, as an author, as a humanitarian, and as a friend. Blessings, Zane
Remembering E. Lynn Harris from Friends and Colleagues
"When I got the call from my publisher telling me that E. Lynn Harris I burst into tears as a friend and mentor he not only encouraged and supported but he paved the way for writers such as myself to speak openly and candidly about sexuality. The literary world just lost a giant who created a whole new genre for Black and gay writers alike."—Terrance Dean, author of "Hiding in Hip Hop" "E. Lynn Harris was a trailblazer and it's because of him and his bold writing that helped me kick down the door to write my book. The first time I met him it was around 2000. I was in Cleveland, Ohio, at the Ritz Carlton and I went up to him and said, 'I'm a huge fan and I have all your books and one day I would like to write my own book.' He was so kind and gracious and gave me his number and said if I can help you in anyway, let me know.' That's the kind of man he was. He was the one person that, whether you were straight, gay or whatever, he would offer a helping hand. I remember him telling me that writing about my personal story and confession about the DL lifestyle would have a greater impact on the Black community and help more people than him writing about ficitional characters ever could. I was simply shocked to get that vote of confidence from him because in my eyes and many others he was the epitome of a successful author— nine New York Times best-selling novels—and for him to give me the thumbs-up meant so much to me. He has wonderful big shoes for us all to fill and will be sorely missed."—J. L. King, author of "On the Down Low"
"E. Lynn Harris was the most generous author. He gave every author who needed a book review quote a quote and he told me the reason he did that is because when he first came out no one wanted to give him a quote because of the subject matter he wrote about and he didn't want to behave how other people had toward him when he needed that support. He understood the publishing world for the African-American author. We came in the game together with Michael Baisden and Eric Jerome Dickey. I always joked that we were The Big Four when it came to male writers. I admit that I wanted to be the spokesperson but there was no denying that E. Lynn had an audience who loved him and in our era he was No. 1, my numbers could never surpass his and I will always remember his generosity."—Omar Tyree, "Pecking Order" "E. Lynn Harris is why I independently published my first book, "Sex in the Sanctuary." His hustle story was so inspiring, and the courage it took to discuss the DL topic so amazing, that it became wind beneath my wings. His example allowed me to approach similarly controversial topics with authenticity, determined to be true to the voices within me. On Monday, I sent the acknowledgements for "Reverend Feel Good," my upcoming title, to my editor, Selena James and in them I publicly thanked E. Lynn Harris for his inspiration. I only wish I could have thanked him in person."—Lutishia Lovely, author of "A Preacher's Passion" "He has always had a kind word and support. E. Lynn was an inspiration and showed all African-American authors that with persistence, diligence and talent that success was possible. He transformed the publishing industry and created a new wave of excitement. His work will be remembered for his candid discussions about sexuality, which is something that the Black community really needs to deal with. I hope his work will lead the Black community to gain a better understanding and embrace the diversity within the Black family."—Gil L. Robertson, IV, author of "Family Affair: What it Means to Be African American Today" "In 1991, I helped E. Lynn and he helped me. I had my own magazine SBC that was widely distributed for the LGBT community and when he came out with his first novel, "Invisible Life," I said let's do some stories on him because the stories he's telling about our community is groundbreaking. He said Stanley, 'You helped me so much what can I do to help you to get your book out there?" He was so unselfish and constantly pushing me to get published. I don't know where I would be if it wasn't for E. Lynn Harris. The one thing I always remember hed had that old-time Southern hospitality generosity. I always thought him of a southern boy with that big ol' toothy smilethat was always present. He was a sweet man who was man enough to be gentle. And he didn't really want anything from you but would always break down and do the little things like the time I was did my literary cafe in Los Angeles during Black Gay Pride weekend he paid to fly himself in and sat on our panel. We had hundreds of people to come see him. He was just cool people. All he wanted was to do some good in the world and to be loved. I don't know if he ever realized how loved he was, but he was always grateful for the affection that people showed him."—Stanley Bennett Clay, novelist, playwright, actor "E. Lynn was a friend and mentor and the last time I saw him was in May. Before I met him I was in the closet and scared, but would always secretly read his books. For the first time through his stories I was seeing myself and was shown in a way that was not derogatory or a stereotype. His crossover success gave courage to a lot of gay and lesbian Americans and encouraged that you can be all the parts of yourself. He and I talked about adapting 'Invisible Life' for the big screen. His work was so groundbreaking for straight and gay Americans and allowed us to look into each other's lives to see how we live think and more importantly helped us all recognize how much alike we are: we all fall in love, we all make mistakes, we all want a better future for ourselves. The great legacy of his work is that he brought people together through the pages of his books and inspired a younger generation to start reading again and continue to tell tjheir own stories because there's something so wonderful and rich in how incredibly diverse we are as a people."—Maurice Jamal, directoractor, "Dirty Laundry" "E. Lynn Harris was authentic, in his life and his work. I remember him saying, "If you take a writing class, don't let the professor change your writing. Your fans love your work.' We all know E. Lynn was openly gay. Seeing the love in his eyes for a professional athlete who was on the DL and hearing how much E. Lynn would've love to have had an open relationship with that person but couldn't gave me a deeper understanding of love."—Mary B. Morrison, author of "Maneater" "We at Doubleday are deeply shocked and saddened to learn of E. Lynn Harris' death at too young an age. His pioneering novels and powerful memoir about the black gay experience touched and inspired millions of lives, and he was a gifted storyteller whose books brought delight and encouragement to readers everywhere. Lynn was a warm and generous person, beloved by friends, fans,and booksellers alike, and we mourn his passing."—Alison Rich, Vice President, Executive Director of Publicity, Doubleday
Today, the Black gay community lost one of it's' most influential, recognized and admired leaders. New York's best-sell author E Lynn Harris passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 54 while on tour promoting his 11th novel, Basketball Jones. Lynn, as I often called him, was a great friend and can best be described as the pioneer of black gay fiction. 15 years ago, Lynn came on the scene with his ground breaking novel, Invisible Life, which captivated both men and women in the straight and LGBT communities. He forever changed the perceived notion of what a black gay man looked like and how they [gays] were to be scrutinize. Undeniably, E Lynn was one of the most gracious and giving men that I have ever met. He easily made himself available mentoring and providing assistance to aspiring writers all over America. Although criticized by some in the gay community as tittering too much to heterosexual black women with his earlier novels, E Lynn made amends with his most recent novel Basketball Jones, which he shared with me earlier this year was, "a love letter to the black gay community". He stressed to me how important it was to him that the gay community knew this. My heart goes out to his beloved partner, family and friends. He will be dearly missed. Thankfully he has left us with so much of his insatiable works to treasure and learn from. Thanks you Lynn for showing the other side of black gay men, and totally bringing into focus, our true beauty, that prior to 1995, were Invisible. Your Friend, Dwight Powell Publisher / Editor-In-Chief Clik Magazine
A Life In Photos
At Bria Cheerleading Tryouts
E Lynn with a Fan at Miss Louisiana
With Former Miss Louisiana & 1st Runner Up Miss America Faith Jenkins.
E. Lynn Looking Like the Star he is
E. Lynn and son before the NAACP Image Awards Gala