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There is evidence of BDSM in artwork and literature throughout history.

Probably the most famous descriptions come from the works of the Bᴀᴄʀᴏɴʏᴍ/s Oғ Tʜᴇ Dᴀʏ (for whom the word "Sᴀᴅɪsᴍ" is derived from) in the late 1700s, however there are countless other examples to be found in books, illustrations and early photography.

Unfortunately, people of color were sadly underrepresented in most cases.

It wasn't until Bᴏɴᴅᴀɢᴇ magazines became popular in the 1970s that we began to often see women of color engaged in acts of BDSM. Previously, detective magazines (which were published as early as the 1930s), had covertly provided a way of publishing Bᴏɴᴅᴀɢᴇ imagery, but they rarely featured models of color. Although these images largely objectified and over-sexualized Black women, Bᴏɴᴅᴀɢᴇ pictorials did create a successful niche in the industry and for many people of color, these magazines were their first exposure to BDSM.

In the 1970s adult films featuring BDSM content often used ethnic actors and actresses because of the added Interracial "Tᴀʙᴏᴏ". Early porn films had BDSM content that distributors today would never dare include because of today's harsher obscenity laws. Blaxploitation films first came on the scene in the mid 1970s and were frequently criticized for stereotypical characterization of Black people and glorification of violence.

The heroes and heroines of these films had extremely Dᴏᴍɪɴᴀɴᴛ personalities, and most of the films featured Dᴏᴍɪɴᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ sᴜʙᴍɪssɪᴏɴ sex scenarios as well.

* See also: Interracial Sex, Mɪsᴄᴇɢᴇɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, Racial Fetishism and Tᴀʙᴏᴏ.

Black BDSM magazines and newsletters began publishing in the 70's and continued for many years.

"Black Amazon Digest", "Black Mistress Review", "Obeah" and "Black Leather In Color" are a few of the more recognizable publications. Most of the early magazines were used primarily by White males searching for a Black Mistress. "Black Leather In Color" was the first Fᴇᴛɪsʜ magazine created specifically for people of color by people of color.

Today most Black BDSM newsletters have been replaced by online versions or E-Zines.

By the 1980s, Black Bᴏɴᴅᴀɢᴇ pictorials had become fairly commonplace, and in the late 1990s the fashion and entertainment industry seemed to discover BDSM. Corsets, chains, latex and leather were increasingly displayed on runways, in movies and music videos. Celebrities began sporting daring Fᴇᴛɪsʜ styles and sometimes made veiled comments about BDSM. Janet Jackson's "Velvet Rope" album hinted at her enjoyment of BDSM and during a magazine interview she talked about her high threshold for Pain and how she enjoyed pushing the Lɪᴍɪᴛ/s of pleasure.

The new millennium ushered in an age of both sexual expression and censorship.
A Fᴇᴛɪsʜ-attired Janet Jackson "accidentally" bared her pierced nipple during the 2003 Superbowl halftime show causing an outrage among viewers. Halle Berry's "Cat Woman" doll came complete with leather mask and Single Tail, but was criticized as being too perverted for children. and Goth musicians turned Leashes and Collars into fashion accessories and black BDSM websites continue to sprout up all over the Internet. It is now fairly easy to find tasteful, well-composed black Bᴏɴᴅᴀɢᴇ imagery, however, representation of Heterosexual black male Dominants is slim to non-existent.

Today, it would seem as though certain aspects of the BDSM Lifestyle have become somewhat socially acceptable.

BDSM, or more specifically Dᴏᴍɪɴᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ sᴜʙᴍɪssɪᴏɴ and traditional Pᴏᴡᴇʀ Exᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ, has played a major role in African history.

Throughout the centuries, our ancestors have incorporated D/s into not only their sexual practices, but into their spiritual and ritualistic practices as well.

A central feature of the West African Malinke Tribe's religious beliefs was the worship of a special spirit named, Mama Dyumbo, who protected their village and kept their women in a state of submission. Whenever women acted disobedient, the husbands would mimic the deity by donning makeup, masks and elaborate headpieces and then drive the women out of their homes for a Communal Whipping. The rite and the name of the spirit being totally incomprehensible to European minds was simply dubbed, "mumbo jumbo", which is now used to describe a meaningless incantation or ritual.

Within the matriarchal society of the Tuareg (Northern Africa), women enjoyed freedom of choice in sexual involvement and often entertained male visitors when their husbands were absent. The tents and furnishings were the personal property of the women alone, and they were in charge of all finances. Today, Tuareg men still are required to wear veils which conceal their entire face excluding their eyes.
This veil is never removed, even in front of family Members.

Female circumcision (the amputation of the clitoris) and Infibulation (a procedure where the clitoris and labia minora are removed and the other lips are scraped away and sewn together leaving a small opening) is a tradition that has been used for thousands of years as a way to control female sexuality and marital chastity in patriarchal societies of Africa.

Fasting, self-immolation, bloodletting and Fʟᴏɢɢɪɴɢ were often encouraged by African and Afro-carribean healers in order to spiritually purify the sick and drive out poisons and demons.

The ability of people of color to survive under the cruel conditions of slavery and be able to retain internal strength, fortitude and resolve is an amazing feat.

To some it would seem strange that we would willingly participate in BDSM and refer to ourselves as a Mᴀsᴛᴇʀ and slaves after such a horrific past. However, most participants in the BDSM Lifestyle feel there is no connection between the two at all.

Historical slavery Rᴏʟᴇ Pʟᴀʏ is a form of BDSM usually involving a White Mᴀsᴛᴇʀ who wields his or her Power over a Black sʟᴀᴠᴇ and uses racially derogatory terms. It is also not uncommon for Caucasians to engage in historical slavery Rᴏʟᴇ Pʟᴀʏ where they take on the Rᴏʟᴇ of the sʟᴀᴠᴇ as a way to repent for the sins of their race.

Some find this type of Sᴄᴇɴᴇ/Sᴇssɪᴏɴ to be emotionally healing, believing they can better cope with the past if they confront it through Rᴏʟᴇ Pʟᴀʏ.

Others are greatly offended by historical slavery Scenes, which is why they are rarely acted out in a public Dungeon.

Pain, particularly in certain religious ceremonies, has been used to reach various states of euphoria, to enable the mind to transcend to a higher state of clarity, leaving one open and prepared to receive the spirit.

Most Christian-based religions, do not specifically object to Dᴏᴍɪɴᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ sᴜʙᴍɪssɪᴏɴ activity within a marital context.

Africans brought to America initially resisted giving up the religions of their forefathers, but over the years, accepting Christianity became part of accepting America as home. Many slaves probably found the promise of spiritual equality before god appealing, however the bible was clear on the Rᴏʟᴇ of a man and his wife:

"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church". Ephesians 5:21-33.

Muslim women are taught to always be obedient to their husbands and Corporal Punishment is encouraged as a method of Dɪsᴄɪᴘʟɪɴᴇ:

"Men are protector of women because god has made them excel over the other, and because they spend their property on women, so good women are obedient and guard their modesty. As for whom you fear rebellion, admonish them, and then banish them from your bed, or beat them. If they obey you, then seek not a way against them ...." The Quran 4:34

Most people find comfort when in the company of others who have a similar history and experiences.

Once people of color began seeking out others like themselves in the BDSM Lifestyle, they soon realized how difficult it was to find them.

The need for Black BDSM Organizations was undeniable.

The Leather Community, created for the most part by Gay men and soldiers returning home after World War II, was a society steeped in secrecy.

Members shared a love of motorcycles and leather accoutrements and longed for the familiar military principles and Discipline they endured during the war. The term, "Old Guard", referred to the first generation of Gay Leathermen who formed these Leather Communities in the late 1940s and early 1950s and the styles they pioneered. Unfortunately, scant evidence exists regarding the history of people of color within the early stages of the Leather Community. Interestingly enough, there is no shortage of images of black Gay leather sex, which may be largely attributed to the extreme over-sexualization of black males by the pornography industry.

Today's Leather Community is accepting of all genders and sexual orientations.

In the 1980s, leather competitions became a major part of the Leather Community.
Competing in and attending leather contests became a way to comfortably meet others in the Lifestyle and titleholders are still held in very high esteem within the Community. Ron Moore was the first African-American to ever win the, International Mr. Leather, in 1984, one of the most coveted titles.
Moore and his sister were the first siblings to both have won and held the two covenant International titles ( IML and IMsL ) in leather history.

In 1993, Graylin Thornton and Gregory Adams, organized the first leather competition for people of color in San Francisco called the, "Ebony In Leather" contest. The first contest was won by, Jimmy Lee Murray, who stepped down at the beginning of his reign because he did not want to do a photo shoot as was required in his contract.
He was succeeded by Omar Mosley.

The highly popular contest was renamed, Mr. Ebony Leather; and was run by, Cain Berlinger, until 2003. The newest contest, "The Mr. Leatherman Of Color" contest, organized by, Mufasa Ali, debuted during ONYX's blackout weekend in 2004.
Their first title winner was John Tatum.

There are quite a few books, newsletters and articles written by and for those in the Black Leather Community.

"To Love, To Obey, To Serve: Diary Of An Old Guard Slave", by African-American author, Vi Johnson, has become a cult classic within the Community. Cain Berlinger is the author of, "Black Men In Leather", a study on what it means to be Black and a part of the Leather, Fetish, BDSM Community.

"Black Leather In Color" magazine published their first edition in winter of 1994.
The NYC-based quarterly magazine's goal was to present the people of color images missing in mainstream leather publications and help Leathermen and women of color gain acceptance within the Leather Community.

Jack Jackson (1921-1983), was the president of, The Eulenspiegel Society, for almost an entire decade since almost its inception in the early 1970s. Jackson was a charismatic leader and a self-proclaimed "Loving Sadist". He also took many of the photographs and ads featured in TES's Prometheus magazine.

The first Leather Organization for men of color such as, "L.A. Brotherhood" and "Brothers In Leather", were formed as early as the 1980s, but most have since faded away.

In the fall of 1995, one of the most prominent Leather Clubs for people of color, "ONYX" (Men of ONYX, Inc.), joined the S&M, Leather, Fᴇᴛɪsʜ Community in Chicago. Founded by Mufasa Ali, the goal of ONYX is to provide an informational and social Organization to address issues specific to men of color who choose to discuss and/or participate in the Lifestyle.

In September 1999, another prominent club, "The New York Panthers Leather Club", founded by John K, was formed for men of color in the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut Tri-State area who are interested and involved in leather and BDSM activities.

And most recently, in 2003, Maji of Baltimore was created for men of color in the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area who are interested and involved in the Leather Lifestyle.

Leather Organizations created specifically for women of color are slim to nonexistent.

However, there are several black women of note who hold prestigious leather titles.
Vi Johnson is one of the most well-known African-American women in the Leather Community. A Lifestyle slave, author and Vampire, Johnson has been active for over two decades as an activist, writer and educator and has been dubbed, "Mother", by a whole generation of Leathermen and women.

She is slave and wife of Jill Carter and husband to Queen Cougar (former Ms. San Francisco Leather, 1993; and winner of the Pantheon Of Leather, "Reader’s Choice Woman Of The Year, 2000").

From her journals kept while living as a slave and Vampire, Johnson authored two autobiographical books, "Dhampir, Child Of The Blood", and "To Love, To Obey, To Serve: Diary Of An Old Guard Slave". Her work has been published in, "Some Women" (the Anthology) and various leather magazines such as, "Dominant Mystique", "Black Leather In Color", "Passion", "The Link", "Black Mistress Review", "Black Amazon Digest", "Ouch!", "Obeya" and "Bitches With Whips".

Jill Carter, International Ms. Leather 1996, has been active in the Leather Lifestyle for over 25 years. She has been an officer, or Founding Member of various Organizations across the United States, President of Ms. World Leather, a speaker or workshop presenter for Leather Organizations and colleges. Carter was the recipient of the Pantheon Of Leather, "Woman Of The Year Award, 1998", and 2001; "Readers Choice Woman Of The Year, 1998"; one-third of the, Couple Of The Year Award, The National Leather Association International Order Of Merit and Lifetime Achievement Awards and the Emerald Award from the state of Washington.

The Ms. World Leather 2003 contest was the first time in any International leather contest that two African-American Women stood on the same stage as winner: Goddess Lakshimi; and first runner up, Daddie Millarca.

Although the Leather Scene is available to all sexual orientations and genders, most Heterosexuals felt the need to form their own Groups ....

There is not much information available regarding the earliest Black BDSM organizations due to secrecy and lack of documentation.

Obeah, a BDSM-related black supremacy Group that does not allow black submissives or white Dominants, was formed as early as the late 1960s and is still active today. There was also believed to be a coffee klatch for black female Dominants in Chicago during the 1960s.

The Internet has had more of an impact on Black BDSM history than any other medium (i.e., the Groups, "BLACK DOM LODGE white fem sub", "White Sluts For BBC GangBangs", "Black Dommes for white slaves" and "SᴏCᴀʟ BBC GᴀɴɢBᴀɴɢ sʟᴜᴛs" here on ALT.com) along with other media, such as glossy magazines devoted to the Topic. Chat Groups such as, EbonyDomsubChat, The Black Doms Room and Black Doms Forums took off in the 1990s and people of color began meeting and having play parties sporadically. The places to find information and meet other people of color in the Lifestyle are seemingly endless, and the added lure is that it can all be done in complete anonymity.

In 1999, one of the first major black BDSM events, "Ebony Lifestyles", was attended by over 350 people in Charlotte, NC.

By early 2000, several real-time Groups had been organized and the first Mᴜɴᴄʜ was created specifically for people of color.