William Dorsey Swann - America's First Drag Queen

Madames, Heauxs, and Gigolos

It was a time of excitement and danger when the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and shall be free." The Klu Klux Klan was rising to prominence, and soon the first black man was elected into Congress.

A former slave, reigned over a secret world of drag balls in Washington, D.C., in the 1880s and was the leader of possibly the world’s earliest-known LGBTQ liberation group. Born into slavery, William Dorsey Swann became the first American to lead a queer resistance group and the first to self-identify as a “queen of drag.” He fought back against police who raided a drag ball almost a century before the Stonewall uprising.

In honor of Pride month, we’ll be talking today about William Dorsey Swan and drag ball culture. We’re joined by our friends, Les and Claire. Les is a podcaster who hosts two shows, Reality Reading Rainbow and A Lifetime of Hallmark. Claire is a certified massage therapist, aspiring metalsmith, and reality show enthusiast.

This episodes charity is Los Angeles LGBT Center. Since 1969, the Los Angeles LGBT Center has cared for, championed, and celebrated LGBT individuals and families in Los Angeles and beyond. Providing services for more LGBT people than any other organization in the world, offering programs, services, and global advocacy that span four broad categories: Health, Social Services and Housing, Culture and Education, Leadership and Advocacy.

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