"The First Queen of Drag"

The Feb. 17 issue of The Nation celebrates Black History Month by telling the story of William Dorsey Swann, known to his friends nearly 150 years ago as "the Queen." Born in Maryland in 1858, Swann "endured slavery, the Civil War, racism, police surveillance, torture behind bars and many other injustices." But sometime in the 1880s, he also became the first person known to dub himself a "queen of drag"—or, more familiarly, a drag queen.

Author Channing Gerard Joseph is writing a book about Swann, and begins his article by explaining what led him to take on that project. Back in 2005, he came across a Washington Post  headline from April 13, 1888: "Negro Dive Raided. Thirteen Black Men Dressed as Women Surprised at Supper and Arrested." According to another news account, a dozen attendees escaped as the officers barged in because Swann intervened, boldly telling the police lieutenant in charge: "You is no gentleman." In the ensuring brawl, the Queen's "gorgeous dress of cream-colored satin was torn to shreds."

If that tidbit doesn't make you eager to read "The First Drag Queen Was a Former Slave," nothing will!