Collections by Michelle Brown - Remembering Stephen Maglott

In a departure from our usual format Collections by Michelle Brown will be remembering Stephen Maglott and celebrating his life.

Stephen was born in Bangor, Maine on October 26, 1953 but spent his formative years in Harlem and Buffalo, NY. He was drawn to Civil Rights and social justice struggles including creating an outreach program investigating instances where farm workers were held as modern-day slaves, resulting in changes to State laws.

He attended Parson’s School of Design while working for the United Nations, as a researcher attached to the UN Commission on Apartheid. He left school early to work as a Graphics Designer and Art Director for several major agencies. He lived in Los Angeles in the early 1980’s and for a few years in Amsterdam before returning to the US.

He accepted a position with Men of Color Health Awareness Project, in Rochester, NY. He assisted in the formation of the NY State Black Gay Network. He served as Board President of Ujima Theatre, on the Board of the Buffalo Caribbean Islands Festival, the National Conference for Community & Justice and the Faith Leadership Roundtable of Buffalo. NY.
Stephen began the Ubuntu Biography Project after realizing so few resources paid tribute to the lives and contributions of LGBTQ men and women of African descent. Ubuntu is a Nguni Bantu term that is literally translated as “human-ness.” It is an empowering affirmation of humanity’s interconnectedness and of our collective responsibility to cherish one another.

As his health began to deteriorate prior to his death, he reached out to trusted community members asking for help with the Project. Among those he approached are Aundaray Guess, and  Mark Zustovich. They will be sharing memories of Stephen and updates on the Ubuntu Project.