Oral History of Andre Powell

Abstract

Born in Baltimore County, Andre Powell is a long-time Baltimore activist. In this interview, he shares the ways in which he found community as a black gay youth in the 70s and 80s, his struggles establishing the first gay student organizations at Essex County College and Towson University, and his long history with activism in and around Maryland. He details the friendships and close relationships he has fostered over the decades, his participation in an LGBTQ choir, and his current work helping a long-time-friend revive the band Lavender Country. 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.