Long before mainstream platforms embraced diverse stories, he was doing the work. Out of the trunk of his car. In beauty salons. With Black women as h
Long before mainstream platforms embraced diverse stories, he was doing the work. Out of the trunk of his car. In beauty salons. With Black women as his first and fiercest readers. Before the world caught up to the conversations he dared to write, E. Lynn Harris was already telling the truth.
He wrote our complexities—Black, heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, Christian, conflicted, loyal, broken, beautiful. He saw that pain and love don’t discriminate. That shame can ruin lives. That family can heal you or wound you deeper. That longing is universal. That to be hidden is not the same as being safe.
I’m GenX. I grew up when his books were passed around like sacred texts. We knew the power in those pages. Invisible Life. Just As I Am. If This World Were Mine. He wrote every character with such care—no one left out. Everyone seen.
He didn’t shy away from the hard parts:
Abuse.
Violence.
Rejection.
The high cost of secrets.
The beauty of chosen family.
The great stuff is in there too:
- Coded language between friends and community
- Spirituality and faith, especially gospel
- Music, theater, fashion, professional athletes (NFL), LOVE.
- Friends (chosen family) loving one another through
- Comedy
And his memoir, What Becomes of the Brokenhearted? That one still lingers with me. It’s raw, it’s human, it’s holy. In it, you see a man who survived abuse, loneliness, shame, and longing—and still chose love. Still chose truth. Still chose us.
E. Lynn Harris was before his time—and, in many ways, he’s still ahead of this one.
He taught us that our stories matter. All of our stories. That there’s no one way to be. That being Black and being gay and being spiritual and being soft and being wounded and being strong- can all live in the same body. Like many in the community, I happen to have close family like him. I appreciated that Mr. Harris wrote the characters in the way that they are, unforgettable.
We honor him—not just as an author, but as a visionary. A Survivor. A truth-teller. A lover of our people.
If you’ve never read his work, start now. If you have, revisit it. And if his words made you feel seen, welcome home. You’re not alone.
💜
– Tonya GJ Prince
WeSurviveAbuse.com | SurvivorAffirmations.com | RosasChildren.com
Share if you feel safe and ready—your voice might be the lifeline someone else needs. And if you do share, remember to cite the messenger. Words carry legacy.
