In the United States, drag originated from the Black community in the 1800s when William Dorsey Swann, the first self-proclaimed drag queen, hosted private balls referred to as “drags,” in which men dressed in upscale women’s clothing. “Drag started with freed slaves,” says Lyta Blunt, who was voted best drag queen in Eugene. “I didn’t even know about that until after I started doing drag. It’s the industry’s best kept secret.” To celebrate the art’s Black history, Eugene’s own Haus of Blunt hosts Vibrant!, a drag show with an all-Black cast, every month. To kick off Black History month, this month’s Vibrant! is 8 pm Feb. 1. This performance celebrates the three-year anniversary of the show, which was previously titled We’re Right Here and hosted at Spectrum before the gay bar closed August 2024. The show is hosted by Lyta Blunt and Aqua Flora, and they’re joined by Wonderful, Nini Munchette and Mona Chrome. “Drag is one of the earliest forms of Black liberation,” Lyta Blunt says. The drag kings and queens are joined by musical artist Jalen Thompson, who recently released his album bougie bitch music, vol. 1, and burlesque performer Bebe Boudoir, who also teaches pole dancing and burlesque. “It’s important now more than ever to show up for queer and trans art,” Lyta Blunt says, “but I think it’s especially important to show up for people who are at those intersections [of race and sexuality].”

Vibrant! An All Black Drag Show & Celebration is 8 pm Saturday, Feb. 1, at The Hybrid Gallery, 941 W.  3rd Ave. The show is 18-plus and tickets are $10 at TheHybridEugene.com/Events.