“I would like all my people to be free in this country and all over the world, my gay people and my black people.”
- Name: Mabel Hampton
- Born: May 2 1902
- Died: October 26, 1989
- From: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Pronouns: She/her
- Contribution/Impact: Mabel Hampton was a black lesbian activist, performer and dancer during the Harlem Renaissance. She was also a philanthropist for black and lesbian/gay organizations.
- Occupation: Performer, Dancer, Activist
- Known For: Audio Archives
- Awards: Received a lifetime achievement award from the National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays, Was named the Grand Marshall of the New York City Gay Pride March
- Interesting Facts: She performed at the Harlems Garden of Joy Nightclub, and the Lafayette Theatre, which have since been demolished. Her last residence with Lillian Foster can still be visited at 639 East 169th Street in the Bronx.
Mabel Hampton worked as a dancer in the 1920s and as a domestic worker for much of her career. Her contributions to the Lesbian Herstory Archives (LHA) are invaluable both through her donated collection of lesbian literature and memorabilia and her oral histories created in collaboration with Joan Nestle. Hampton’s collections provide a window into the lives of Black lesbian women during the Harlem Renaissance. After meeting in 1932, Mabel Hampton and Lillian Foster became life partners until Foster’s death in 1978.
Handout
To download the Handout:
- Click on the image
- Right-click and select Save Image As…
- Decorate and personalize the empty space in the image.
- Cut out and use for a selfie to share on our social media page.
- Download a card and envelope template and write about an idea this leader inspires.
- Check out The Attic for more resources and events for Philadelphia’s LGBT+ youth!
This ASI Special event is an ongoing volunteer-led project made by people like you, using multiple educational sources regularly being revised and updated. We would love your assistance if you or your group would like to get involved, learn more here.