- Creator
- Lavender Light (Musical group)
- Call number
- Sc MG 799
- Physical description
- 0.42 linear feet (1 box)
- Language
- English
- Preferred Citation
- [Item], Lavender Light Gospel Choir collection, Sc MG 799, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library
- Repository
- Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division
- Access to materials
- Request an in-person research appointment.
Founded in 1985, Lavender Light is a mixed chorus (women and men), consisting of members who have auditioned and run as a nonprofit organization. Although the group encompasses many ethnic and spiritual backgrounds, the choir provides a special ministry to Black lesbians and gays, who have historically been pressured by their communities to choose between their Blackness and their gayness. Their repertoire includes gospel (old and new), spirituals, and anthems. They produce two full concerts a year and frequently appear as guests at community functions, from church services to Gay Pride rallies. Past appearances have included Urban Bush Women's "Praise House"; the pilot episode of In the Life; the People of Color Joint Kwanzaa Ceremony; Mayor David N. Dinkins's Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at City Hall; and Empire State Pride Agenda's 1999 annual fundraiser with keynote speakers President Bill Clinton and Senator Chuck Schumer. This collection mostly consists of administrative files such as bylaws, membership information, Board of Directors materials, minutes, and fundraising documents. There is a limited amount of material on concerts and performances. Most of the material dates from 1997-2003.
Administrative information
Source of acquisition
Gift from unknown donor, ca. 2008.
Related Material
In the Life Archive (ITLA) miscellaneous collections, Sc MG 736, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
Bibliography
Lavender Light. "About Us." Accessed January 4, 2021, http://www.lavenderlight.com/about-us.html.
Using the collection
Location
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division515 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY 10037-1801
Second Floor