Alain Locke

Alain Locke, a brilliant scholar and the first African American Rhodes Scholar, dedicated his life to promoting Black art and culture, effectively shaping and defining the Harlem Renaissance. His seminal anthology, "The New Negro," served as a manifesto for the movement, elevating the voices and visions of a generation.

While Locke's intellectual prowess and cultural impact were undeniable, his personal life was often kept private, a common practice for gay Black men of his era. He was a lifelong Unitarian, finding his spiritual and ethical grounding within that tradition rather than in any Jewish faith.

Despite his profound influence on American arts and letters, Locke had no known Jewish ancestry or identification. His contributions to African American intellectual life and the broader cultural landscape, however, are certainly something to kvel about, even if he wasn't "of the tribe."