BALLROOM: America’s Untold Stories of Black LGBT Defiance
By Lee Soulja
Celebrating Ballroom culture brilliantly teaches American History. It is a remarkable study of urban life, telling us as much about the heterosexual world as it does about the homosexual one. Ballroom is as revealing for what it shows about the general history of American LGBTQ attitudes towards people as for what it discloses about the particular gay community of New York City.
Learning about Ballroom culture completely shatters the myth that before the 1960’s, gay life only existed in the closet. The truth is, gay men were not isolated, invisible or self hating. Ballroom is a fascinating peek into a gay world that is not supposed to have existed.
Based on years of research that includes access to newspaper articles, legal records, photographs, unpublished documents and personal testimonies, we have learned that Ballroom culture dates back to 1869, exactly 100 years before Stonewall. This means Black gay men were already creating safe spaces to celebrate their uniqueness.
In 1842, a fraternal organization of free Black
men, The Philomathean Institute in NY, petitioned a Manchester England aligned lodge of American Odd Fellows for a dispensation to form their institute into a lodge of odd fellows. They were denied because they were Black. Peter Ogden, a Black sailor who was a member of the institute and a recent initiated member of the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows in Liverpool, suggested they try again directly in England. Peter sailed to England and obtained permission to form the Philomathean Institute into the Philomathean Lodge #644 on March 1, 1843. By 1847 there were 22 lodges under Peter’s organization including the Hamilton Lodge #710 of the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows which opened in February 1844 in Harlem, NY.
Every year in February, the Hamilton Lodge would give a reception to celebrate their anniversary. On the occasion of their 25th anniversary, they decided to give two 
events; one would be their normal reception for their members in February and the second event, a grand masquerade ball to welcome the general public to celebrate their anniversary and raise money. In March 1869, the Hamilton Lodge #710 of the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows gave their first annual Masquerade and Civic Ball in Harlem at the Rockland Palace Banquet Hall & Casino. This is the first known ball on record in Harlem of men dressed as women.
At the turn of the century, drag balls were growing in popularity, despite being deemed illegal and immoral by mainstream society. Thousands would take the risk to attend and participate. A moral reform organization, known as the Committee of Fourteen, periodically investigated the balls. In 1916, the Committee released a report detailing the scandalous behavior they witnessed. The report described the scene as filled with “Phenomenal male perverts in expensive frocks and wigs, looking like women.” That committee released 130 reports describing its visits, demanding such perversion must desist. By the 1920’s the balls begin to get major press in all the newspapers bringing more visibility. What were once known as the Masquerade and Civic Balls were now dubbed “The faggots balls” by the Black
newspapers and the general public after it became well known that these were frequented by LGBT people. However, straight artists, writers and other ball appreciators from outside the LGBT community also frequented these events because of their renowned reputation.
Local newspapers began to print the names, addresses and race of the winners. Although these events were given by a Black organization, this meant white participants would surely win most of the prizes. Racism within the drag community began to grow into a bigger problem. Although Black participants were upset, they resisted to put up a big fight about it because they did not want their name and personal information in the papers.
During this period, prohibition went into effect. Legendary Harlem dance halls and clubs like the Savoy Ballroom, The Cotton Club and The Renaissance Ballroom and Casino opened their doors to drag balls because of their attractiveness to thousands of people. These venues needed the revenue generated by the balls to makeup for the decline in liquor sales. Ball organizers now also needed help to apply to get official police sponsorship. A’lelia Walker, the only daughter of self-made millionaire, Madame C. J. Walker, would help. She famously took on the role as Host of the Masquerade and Civic Ball until her death in 1931.
By the 1940’s, balls happened twice a year. The annual Hamilton Lodge’s Masquerade and Civic Ball and Phil Blacks annual Funmakers Ball were the coveted events. Drag participants would also split their time doing shows at bars and competing in the now new drag pageant scene.
Racial tension in America was rapidly rising to an all time high. This tension was also impacting the underground drag world. The climate created by the Civil Rights movement sparked change in drag balls; the participants were no longer defined or aligned by race. This rebellious movement lead by Crystal LaBeija gave birth to the Houses or the House and Ballroom community that we have today. Ballroom is no longer an undercover culture. Ballroom houses are now opening globally and continue to influence popular culture everywhere.
