by Jeroslyn JoVonn
December 11, 2024
Native Son released its fifth annual Native Son 101 List, honoring Black gay/queer men making a profound and lasting impact in the community.
Among the Class of 2024, honorees include actors Colman Domingo and Jeremy Pope, news analyst Don Lemon, music stars Lil Nas X and Khalid, director Lee Daniels, fashion designers Telfar Clemens, Brandon Blackwood, and LaQuan Smith, and many more. The list spotlights 101 Black queer men who are making a difference as educators, journalists, editors, photographers, entrepreneurs, activists, authors, artists, actors, and creators—boldly embracing individuality, taking risks, and challenging boundaries.
The list is described as a way of “honoring the heroes among us who may or may not be featured in mainstream media, may or may not go viral on social media, and may or may not be seen outside of their existence.”
With the recent turnout of the 2024 presidential election, the Class of 2024 is being called upon to continue disrupting their fields due to how “imperative” it will be in our community.
“Native Son is prepared for a time such as this,” the list states. “Our ancestors have been through dark times in history — from slavery to the Civil Rights Movement, the AIDS Crisis, and Black Lives Matter. And they have given us a blueprint and foundation to not only survive but to thrive.”
The list reflected on the Native Son forebearers whose art, literature, and dialogues shaped and elevated Black culture during the Harlem Renaissance and the Great Depression—figures like Alain LeRoy Locke, Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and Richard Bruce Nugent. The 2024 list also coincides with the centennial celebration of James Baldwin’s birth, honoring his enduring “words, wisdom, and ideology,” which, as the outlet notes, continue to empower and guide us today.
Others included in the Native Son 101 List Class of 2024 are comedian Jerrod Carmichael, stylist Law Roach, actor Titus Burgess, as well the nation’s youngest HBCU president Dr. Martin Lemelle Jr., Wicked costume designer Paul Tazewell, Black Excellence Brunch creator Trell Thomas, and Guillaume Diop, a principal dancer at the Paris Opera.
The 2024 list showcases the diverse talents of those driving change, advocating for the Black queer community, and contributing to the resilience essential for safeguarding their existence.
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