William Dorsey Swann (1858-1925)
From LGBTQIA+ Archives
William Dorsey Swann (circa 1858-1925) was the first known drag queen and first known to lead a gay liberation organization in the United States. William was born enslaved and liberated following the Civil War. Swann sometimes referred to himself as the "Queen of Drag".
Articles
- Police Raid on Dance House, Evening Star (Article, 1887)
- Kept A "Hell of Iniquity", Evening Star (Article, 1896)
- Made A Raid, Evening Star (Article, 1896)
External Resources
- American Academy in Berlin, William Dorsey Swann, Queen of Drag: Uncovering America’s Black Queer History