FROM THE STREETS

An untimely loss of a national treasure and icon!This week the Black (gay) community and the world lost one of it's' most influential, recognized and admired leaders. Best-selling author E Lynn Harris passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 54 while on tour promoting his 11th novel, Basketball Jones his publicist told The Associated Press.According to his official biography at his Web site, Mr. Harris, a tender 54 years young was born in Flint, Mich. and raised in Little Rock, Ark. At the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, he was the school’s first black male Razorbacks cheerleader and was a lifelong fan of the team. 15 years ago Lynn sold computers for a living until he self-published his first novel, Invisible Life, which captivated both men and women in the straight and LGBT communities. He forever changed the perceived notion of what a black gay man looked like and how they [gays] are often scrutinized.
Criticized by some in the gay community as tittering too much to heterosexual black women with his earlier novels, E Lynn made amends with his most recent novel Basketball Jones, "a love letter to the black gay community.”
In a statement, Alison Rich, the executive director of publicity for Doubleday, which published Mr. Harris’s novels, said: “We at Doubleday are deeply shocked and saddened to learn of E. Lynn Harris’ death at too young an age. His pioneering novels and powerful memoir about the black gay experience touched and inspired millions of lives, and he was a gifted storyteller whose books brought delight and encouragement to readers everywhere. Lynn was a warm and generous person, beloved by friends, fans, and booksellers alike, and we mourn his passing.”
Contributing Writers: Dwight Powell, Clique Magazine/ Dave Itzkoff, New York Times