Oral History of Jamie Washington

Abstract

Dr. Jamie Washington talks about being born into a working-class family in Philadelphia, spending his formative years in South Carolina, and developing a love for music at a young age. He discusses his struggle, as a teenager, between his faith and his gay identity. He talks about moving to Baltimore after receiving his graduate degree and enjoyed the affirming presence of black queer communities and black churches. He talks about his experience becoming a preacher when he felt God calling him to serve as an openly gay man, and the ways in which his queer, black, and Christian identities shape his sense of justice and ethics. This oral history was conducted by undergraduate students enrolled in Dr. Joseph Plaster’s Queer Oral History course, which was taught at Johns Hopkins University in spring 2022.