
Dennis Carney with Xona
11/01/22 • 40 min
Jordan Onubogu, a musician whose artist name is Xona, looks at a black and white image of two men, one embracing the other from behind. This intimate moment was captured by Rotimi Fani-Kayode and shows the tenderness between two poets Essex Hemphill and Dennis Carney in Brixton, 1987. Xona tracks down Dennis to unpack why this image is so important. Together they reflect on the revolutionary nature of Black LGBTQIA+ relationships.
CONTENT WARNING: This podcast is about the experience of Black LGBTQIA+ communities with open discussion about racism, homophobia, transphobia and sexual discrimination.
Black and Gay, Back in the Day is an Aunt Nell Production. This eye opening series highlights the importance of Black LGBTQIA+ history, amplifying the work of its founders Marc Thompson and Jason Okundaye, as we repaint the photographs through audio, helping to facilitate the mission of honouring and remembering Black queer life in Britain.
Host: Marc Thompson
Co-host: Xona
Guest: Dennis Carney
Producers: Shivani Dave, Tash Walker
Assistant Producer: Abi McIntosh
Artwork: Kemi Oyolede
Music: Amaroun
Black and Gay, Back in the Day is an Aunt Nell Production, supported by the Audio Content Fund.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jordan Onubogu, a musician whose artist name is Xona, looks at a black and white image of two men, one embracing the other from behind. This intimate moment was captured by Rotimi Fani-Kayode and shows the tenderness between two poets Essex Hemphill and Dennis Carney in Brixton, 1987. Xona tracks down Dennis to unpack why this image is so important. Together they reflect on the revolutionary nature of Black LGBTQIA+ relationships.
CONTENT WARNING: This podcast is about the experience of Black LGBTQIA+ communities with open discussion about racism, homophobia, transphobia and sexual discrimination.
Black and Gay, Back in the Day is an Aunt Nell Production. This eye opening series highlights the importance of Black LGBTQIA+ history, amplifying the work of its founders Marc Thompson and Jason Okundaye, as we repaint the photographs through audio, helping to facilitate the mission of honouring and remembering Black queer life in Britain.
Host: Marc Thompson
Co-host: Xona
Guest: Dennis Carney
Producers: Shivani Dave, Tash Walker
Assistant Producer: Abi McIntosh
Artwork: Kemi Oyolede
Music: Amaroun
Black and Gay, Back in the Day is an Aunt Nell Production, supported by the Audio Content Fund.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Previous Episode

Roy Brown with Yasmin Benoit
Model and asexual activist, Yasmin Benoit, begins her journey uncovering Black LGBTQIA+ history with a black and white photo of a newspaper clipping showing the winner of Mr Gay Briton 1986. The image is of a muscular man wearing nothing but a white jockstrap as a crowd of mostly white men stare at him in awe. Representation of Black LGBTQIA+ people has a rocky history. To unpack some of this Yasmin tracks down the man from the photograph, Roy Brown. Together they reflect on the visibility and vulnerability of Black LGBTQIA+ being in the public eye from the 70’s to today.
CONTENT WARNING: This podcast is about the experience of Black LGBTQIA+ communities with open discussion about racism, homophobia, transphobia and sexual discrimination.
Black and Gay, Back in the Day is an Aunt Nell Production. This eye opening series highlights the importance of Black LGBTQIA+ history, amplifying the work of its founders Marc Thompson and Jason Okundaye, as we repaint the photographs through audio, helping to facilitate the mission of honouring and remembering Black queer life in Britain.
Host: Marc Thompson
Co-host: Yasmin Benoit
Guest: Roy Brown
Producers: Shivani Dave, Tash Walker
Assistant Producer: Abi McIntosh
Artwork: Kemi Oyolede
Music: Amaroun
Black and Gay, Back in the Day is an Aunt Nell Production, supported by the Audio Content Fund.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Next Episode

Ain Bailey and Marilyn Clarke with Chantelle Ayanna
DJ and producer Chantelle Ayanna is inspired by a colour photograph of two women in a DJ booth surrounded by vinyl and joy. She discovers that the image comes from the opening night of ‘Precious Brown’. A club night for Black queer women at the Candy Bar in London, Soho in the 90’s. The last couple of decades, however, has seen spaces for LGBTQIA+ people disappear. Together, the three reflect on the importance of Black LGBTQIA+ club nights, parties and music.
CONTENT WARNING: This podcast is about the experience of Black LGBTQIA+ communities with open discussion about racism, homophobia, transphobia and sexual discrimination.
Black and Gay, Back in the Day is an Aunt Nell Production. This eye opening series highlights the importance of Black LGBTQIA+ history, amplifying the work of its founders Marc Thompson and Jason Okundaye, as we repaint the photographs through audio, helping to facilitate the mission of honouring and remembering Black queer life in Britain.
Host: Marc Thompson
Co-host: Chantelle Ayanna
Guest: Ain Bailey and Marylin Clarke
Producers: Shivani Dave, Tash Walker
Assistant Producer: Abi McIntosh
Artwork: Kemi Oyolede
Music: Amaroun
Black and Gay, Back in the Day is an Aunt Nell Production, supported by the Audio Content Fund.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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