During the late 1980's we (of the straight world) learned about the Harlem, NYC culture of drag balls and voguing.
We didn't know it then, but supposedly the phenomenon had a history dating back to the mid-1860's.
That's when, the Tim Lawrence-written liner notes of this book tell us, that the first queer masquerade ball was held at Harlem's Hamilton Lodge.
The first contemporary black ball was probably staged by black queens led by Marcel Christian in 1962.
This book of remarkable photographs by French photog Chantel Regnault is both mind-openly candid and helped along by Mr. Lawrence's wonderfully informative chapter dialogue .
The book is also teamed with an available 2x2LP/3 Cd set of the music that was burning up the voguing floor in the 1980's. Both are available from Britain's Soul Jazz Records.
Open the pages of this book and the world of Hector Xtravaganza, Muhammad Omni, Adrian Magnifique and a host of soulful others is yours.
Click **here** to be taken to Soul Jazz Records web page.
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