Entrée to Black Paris Blog

Thursday, July 16th, 2026

Gay Paris Noir—A Black Queer Culture Walk

Cover image: Brian Scott Bagley
© Entrée to Black Paris

Anyone who knows contemporary Black Paris has heard of Brian Scott Bagley. The founder of the Musée Joséphine Baker et des Afro-Descendents de Paris, he has devoted much of his professional life to the preservation and promotion of Baker's legacy.

Brian Scott Bagley with items from Le Musée Joséphine Baker
et des Afro-Descendants
Image courtesy of Brian Scott Bagley

Bagley is the creator of Gay Paris Noir (Gay Black Paris), a series of well researched, entertaining, and interactive tours that feature LGBTQ+ individuals and businesses that cater(ed) to them in various parts of the city. He began his career in the performing arts, notably as choreographer of Jérôme Savary's musical production of À la recherche de Joséphine (Looking for Josephine). This work brought him to Paris twenty years ago, and he has been an integral part of the African-American community here since that time.

Early on, Bagley became interested in the work of "touring Black Paris." Thanks to those he met while working on the musical, he gathered anecdotes about people and events, past and present, that form part of the arsenal of information he now presents during his tours.

I had the pleasure of experiencing his walk through the quartier de la Bourse (stock exchange quarter) the other day. My husband and business partner, Tom, and I briefly resided in this off-the-tourist-track 2nd arrondissement neighborhood for a blogging project 13 years ago, and I was happy to return to experience it through a new lens.

When Bagley and I met at the starting point, I noticed that he was sporting a backpack and carrying a tote bag under each arm.

I quickly learned that each was filled with precious, often vintage documents, as well as a digital tablet of images that would be part of his presentation throughout the tour.

We went to a café to get provisions for the hot day and sat at a table so he could reveal a few of these documents and set the stage for what was to come.

Brian Scott Bagley with a vintage copy of Remembering Josephine
© Entrée to Black Paris

Then, we stepped out onto the sidewalk and walked to the corner to find the first stop on the tour.

It was the Opéra Comique, where Bagley launched his career in Paris. He emphasized its proximity to the Olympia Theater and Hôtel Scribe, where several events and encounters relevant to Josephine Baker took place. But those sites were not part of this particular tour.

Brian Scott Bagley at Opéra Comique
© Entrée to Black Paris

Bagley talked about the history of the theater and the cast and staff of À la recherche de Joséphine, weaving in stories about Josephine and her Rainbow Tribe.

Then, he seamlessly segued into a conversation about Alain Locke, "Dean" of the Harlem Renaissance, and his pursuit of Langston Hughes during the time the two men were in Paris in 1924.

Before leaving the square in front of the theater, he wove in the first of many anecdotes about women—straight, gay, and bisexual—who advocated for their rights and created strong, supportive environments for themselves in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

We visited the rue des Colonnes, an 18th-century architectural gem that is only a block away from Place de la Bourse. Its Doric columns were inspired by the Greek temples of Paestum in southern Italy. Bagley first raised the topic of same-sex activities among males in ancient times before proceeding to talk about a male brothel that was frequented by men working at the stock exchange.

We went to Galerie Vivienne, a stunningly beautiful 19th-century covered passage that is home to vintage and contemporary boutiques, tea rooms and other businesses.

Galerie Vivienne
Photo by Mbzt
License: CC-BY-3.0

There, Bagley talked at length about a book in the display case at Librairie Jousseaume, which directly related to the story of the brothel he had just recounted.

We simultaneously spotted another book on display, Eros Noir, that was squarely aligned with the tour's theme.

Stopping into a tearoom for a refreshment break, Bagley shared more of the treasures he had in his bags—magazines and illustrated books that revealed themed information about areas of town we were not scheduled to cover that day.

Leaving the passage, we ventured into the 1st arrondissement and walked over to Palais Royal. There, Bagley told stories about Colette, Jean Cocteau, Josephine Baker, Claude McKay, and our friend Benny Luke of La Cage aux Folles.

He dipped into his bags and pulled out additional books to illustrate these stories.

Serendipitously, books on display at yet another boutique reinforced the content he delivered during this last part of the tour.

In addition to working as a choreographer, Bagley sings, dances, and acts. All these professional activities inform his approach to storytelling, which is thoroughly engaging.

Throughout our walk, he was careful to indicate whether the information he presented was factual or possible (giving the reasons why the story was relevant to mention but clearly stating that he did not have definitive confirmation of its veracity). Anyone taking his tours will have an excellent foundation for what they might like to research or explore afterward on their own.

I'm looking forward to exploring Black LGBTQ+ history with Brian in other areas of Paris. The quartier de la Bourse tour was only the tip of the iceburg!

To book a Gay Black Paris walking tour, click HERE. Dates, times, and prices are indicated on the Web page.