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Herndon Davis Reports on Black Gay America
by Christopher Stone, July 18, 2005

Religious Black America has barely smoothed its feathers, ruffled badly last year by the publication of Herndon L. Davis’ controversial book Black, Gay, & Christian (Davis, Lett & Associates, 2004). Conservative African America, you’d better hold onto your plumage! Herndon Davis is about to launch his second salvo against black gay/lesbian intolerance--but this time, on television.

The handsome 34-year-old black, openly gay author-lecturer is bringing his message of “affirmation, love, and understanding” of black gay/lesbian America to the tube with the July 18 debut of The Herndon Davis Reports, the world’s first black gay/lesbian TV news-talk show hosted by its edgy creator and namesake.

Initially reaching viewers via Comcast Cable TV 101 in Southern California, every Monday, 7-8am, the program's reach is starting small, but will soon expand. Originally scheduled to debut simultaneously on Comcast Cable and DirecTV, The Herndon Davis Reports lost DirecTV just days before its debut. Herndon Davis told AfterElton.com, “The show will not air on DirecTV as planned because of a glitch in my promotions and advertising of the program which caused a conflict of interest with DirecTV’s policy of creative content versus paid programming.”

But, he continued, “The show will air nationally, and in primetime, on The Dish Network’s Healthy Living Channel, beginning the first week of September.”

Herndon Davis describes his landmark series as “a one-hour long, black gay/lesbian focused, empowerment news program--a cross between The Chris Matthews Show and The Oprah Winfrey Show.

“The Herndon Davis Reports aggressively tackles a variety of socioeconomic and political issues impacting the gay/lesbian community, but from a distinctly black gay/lesbian affirming perspective.” Davis adds, “I’m very excited about the opportunity to spotlight the accomplishments and the challenges of the black gay/lesbian community.”

He goes on to say, “From understanding the DL down low phenomena, to fighting for gay marriage rights, to the challenges of embracing spirituality, raising children, and coping with depression and homophobia, The Herndon Davis Reports will deeply explore the vibrant and diverse lives of the entire black gay/lesbian community, past, present, and future.”

As in his book, Herndon’s television series will address equally the concerns of black gay men and black lesbian women, but in the fifth episode, Herndon will narrow his focus exclusively to black lesbians.

He explains, “On the concentrated black lesbian episode, we explore the emotional issues of femininity and lesbianism, the differences of parenthood from a same-gender female perspective versus a same-gender male perspective, and whether they feel as if their plight is greater or less than the black gay man.”

It doesn’t take a Freudian or Jungian to see that the affirming, positive, high profile voice that Herndon Davis brings to black, gay/lesbians is one that he craved in his own life.

Originally from the outskirts of Mobile, Alabama, Herndon’s father, now 80, was pastor of a Baptist Church one-hour away in Mississippi. His mother is a retired librarian. Herndon says, “They’ve both extended to me unconditional love, although they’ve made it clear they do not agree with me being gay.”

Earlier this year, Davis revealed to nghosibooks.com, “I’ve always had an attraction for men in a non-traditional Christian way. And I didn’t know it was supposedly wrong until I was growing up and started hearing about it, and started being teased about it in school. I wasn’t able to truly grow until I moved away from home, and to a new city. Then I was able to understand my sexuality better.”

This son of a preacher man’s new city of discovery and understanding was Tuscaloosa, where he attended the University of Alabama, graduating with a B.S. in Finance. He returned to Mobile for more than three years before re-locating to Atlanta, where he earned an Executive MNBA from Kennesaw State University.

For more than seven years he thrived in Atlanta’s financial world. Then a chilling incident led to an epiphany which compelled him to write Black, Gay & Christian.

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