How Drag Culture AND Black History Are Deeply Intertwined

From William Dorsey Swann, the first self-proclaimed drag queen, to sayings like “spill the tea,” Black history and drag are inexplicably intertwined.

But with growing attacks on both Black history and drag performance, advocates and performers alike are concerned about how the politicization of identities will affect Black entertainers.

In this episode of The Switch Up, advocates from the Marsha P. Johnson Institute and The Mahogany Project explain how Black drag performers have influenced the broader culture for decades; while performers like D.C.’s Blaq Dynamite express how the growing limitations impact their ability to entertain.