Today In Black LGBTQ+ History: MICHAEL HINSON

TODAY IN BLACK LGBTQ+ HISTORY, we celebrate Michael S. Hinson, Jr., was a leading Black LGBTQ, AIDS, and homelessness activist. 

Hinson was one of the first Philly residents to seriously strategize against HIV/AIDS in the Black community. He was the city’s first unofficial LGBT liaison, founded Colours Magazine, and co-founded the Black Gay Men’s Leadership Council and Philly Black Pride. He helped adjust a buddy system for people with HIV/AIDS so that it was more inclusive to people of color — and helped with an intervention for the disease that made it all the way to the CDC’s list of effective interventions. 

In recent years, Hinson tackled Philadelphia’s pervasive homelessness as head of the nonprofit SELF, Inc. 

Dr. Michael S. Hinson, Jr., was a leading Black activist for the disenfranchised in Philadelphia, 
Hinson grew up in Hemingway, SC and Wilmington, DE where he received his High School 
Diploma from John Dickinson High School and moved to Philadelphia shortly thereafter. He 
emerged on the scene as a fierce 19-year-old who was already a strong voice for Black 
communities. He also served as an adjunct professor at Cheyney University, where he had 
obtained a Master’s in Public Administration. He obtained his doctorate from Temple 
University. 
He was also a member of the Yoruba community, becoming a Yoruba priest in the early 
1990s. 
In 2000, Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street appointed Michael as his liaison to the city 
communities and as a policy advisor on issues ranging from child welfare to education to 
homelessness to public safety. During that time, Hinson helped develop a comprehensive 
plan to combat homelessness in Philadelphia and helped build a coalition to ensure that 
gender identity was added to the protections of the city’s Fair Practices Ordinance.  
Michael was also a passionate advocate for people experiencing homelessness. In recent 
years he served as the President and CEO of SELF, Inc., the city’s largest provider of 
emergency and transitional housing, which doubled in size under his leadership and included 
development of A Way Home, a rental assistance program. 
Family was very important to Michael.  As the oldest brother, he took pride in caring for his 
family, especially his nieces and nephews.