Illinois history professor Kevin Mumford wanted gay black men to know they have a history so he wrote a book about them

Part of the reason Kevin Mumford wrote his book, "Not Straight, Not White," is because he wanted black gay males to see themselves. 

Published by UNC Press, Mumford's book chronicles the contributions of black gay men in American history from the 1950s through the 1990s. While many who read the book will be familiar with names like James Baldwin and Bayard Rustin, Mumford highlights the triumphs as well as the struggles of black gay men often neglected in history. 

"I want black gay males to walk into a bookstore and say, 'I did not know we had a history,'" said Mumford. "I hope, through these really admirable individuals, this book will help educate." 

Mumford, a history professor at the University of Illinois, began his research with Joseph Beam, an author and gay rights activist. 

"Beam was a fellow at Schomburg [Center for Research in Black Culture]. His papers are there," Mumford said. "I thought about doing a bio of him, but somehow as I was reading the testimony of a gay rights ordinance in Philadelphia I started following these leads." ...