Hugh Bell, born and raised in Harlem, was an American photographer of Caribbean descent. He became most well-known in the 1950s for his photographs of jazz musicians. Bell also influenced a generation of photographers, most notably of the Kamoinge Workshop. In the 1980s and 1990s, Bell photographed Gay Culture, creating stylish portraits of individuals and couples in both candid and posed moments of self-expression. Particularly noteworthy was his singular effort to depict African-Americans who participated in these celebrations, which include Gay Pride, Wigstock, and the Greenwich Village Halloween parades. David Deitch, Fine Arts Curator at GME remarks that “in documenting a different time for Pride, Bell’s historic photographs are celebratory affirmations of gay identity.”

Click here for BuzzFeed News’ Pride post of Bell’s LGBTQ photos.

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