Crystal LaBeija: The Queen Who Reinvented Ball Culture | MASTERS OF DRAG | AMERICAN MASTERS | PBS

Official website: www.pbs.org/ame... | #AmericanMastersPBS
A proud Black trans woman, a drag mother and, a pageant girl, Crystal LaBeija was the cause of an iconic moment in drag history that paved the way for house culture, voguing, Paris is Burning, and the TV series Pose.
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Launched in 1986 on PBS, American Masters has earned 28 Emmy Awards - including 10 for Outstanding Non-Fiction Series and five for Outstanding Non-Fiction Special - 13 Peabodys, an Oscar, three Grammys, two Producers Guild Awards, and many other honors. To further explore the lives and works of masters past and present, American Masters offers streaming video of select films, outtakes, filmmaker interviews, the American Masters Podcast, educational resources and more. The series is a production of THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC for WNET and also seen on the WORLD channel.

[@doeeyes2]

Aja did a great job teaching the kids about the one, the only, Crystal LaBeija on Snatch Game. Also, Rupaul's first drag experience was watching Crystal Labeija perform.

[@erinjoy5625]

Oh wow, this is really cool to have learned. I just stumbled across this chanel but so happy I did, think I may fall down a rabbit hole here to learn more about this. I find all of it to be very interesting

[@jaynellioriginal5160]

“ I have a Right to show my color” I know that’s right ❤️

[@NicoleReign]

It literally blew my mind how that man could say some racist ass shit like that, and all of them better than me bc he would have been out cold on the floor

[@ThatsJustMyBabyDaddy]

♥️ ♥️

[@charbadarc4167]

It's a fairly common phrase in the u.k. Showing your true colours means showing what you really think.

[@jaynellioriginal5160]

@@charbadarc4167 it’s a common phrase for a lot of people of color. Considering all darker ethnic groups are ridiculed for their skin color all ACROSS the world ♥️

[@jaynellioriginal5160]

@@charbadarc4167 I get what your saying but considering what was happening at this specific time and date, it’s my believe she was referring to the color of her skin.

[@antonioflowers]

FYI.. Pepper LaBeija was also in the pageant. She was the girl next to Crystal when she was announced third runner up!!!

[@imsoirlbarbie]

omggg what!!

[@thedarthflagger]

Miss Emory who was runner up to Harlow

[@starelise1387]

That’s not pepper

[@LegionIvory]

Isn't Pepper Crystal's daughter? I'm not sure she was even old enough to compete.

[@Baileysedit2]

dorian corey was also there

[@mcj5306]

I LOVE Peppermint!! And I LOVE that Crystal is getting her flowers even after all these years. It took bravery to be yourself back in the 60’s and because crystal fought for her voice to be heard all of us have benefited. **We LOVE U GIRL

[@sabarca714]

Than you for taking the time to honor and remember a person who demonstrated goodness and truth in her actions.

[@Nicole-gb3vl]

Ok

[@tc2334]

Thank you PBS and Peppermint for this. I remember back in 2010 when I got involved with a house when I was dating my ex bf. They vogued. They did drag, but most importantly: they loved and supported each other. They worked to pay bills for each other. They cooked for each other and really took care everything for everybody.

[@Snax_Musician]

First heard about Crystal from Pepper in Paris Is Burning: 'But I'm not the founder. CRYSTAL was the founder. I just rule it now...with a soft glove' :) If it weren't for Pepper, The Queen, and the children keeping her story alive, we wouldn't even know about Crystal. Bless 'em.

[@JadeLeaf1980]

It mystifies me how so little can be known about someone so important they literally changed tHe face of drag history and gave birth to modern drag culture. Crystal is so iconic and famous yet even few photos of her remain. And if it weren’t for that documentary, there’d be even less evidence of how truly exquisite she was. How can someone so stunning have barely any remaining photos kicking around? Did someone suppress all documentation of her or something or did she ask for her life and not of her photos to be suppressed? Truly baffling...someone that stunning surely should be in photo archives somewhere.

[@LifeandLove85]

Nobody even seems to know her birth name, birth date, or death date.

[@JadeLeaf1980]

@ I know. There seems to be conflicting info - some people say she’s actually still alive, others say she passed decades ago. The rights to anonymity of her real life is understandable, but there’s so little photographic evidence of her in the ballroom scene in drag that I can find. Since photographs were taken on actual film back then there must be a bunch of negatives somewhere with all of Crystal’s ball looks etc. Since she is so legendary, I feel like there would be more.

[@WriterVicYates]

I didn’t know Crystal was the architect for House culture. Thank you for this educational video ❤️

[@melancolie83]

Ok so what I had heard about Crystal's name is that the Puerto Rican queens started to call her "la Bella" (meaning "the Beautiful"), and with their Puerto Rican accent, it sounded like "la Beija". Which to me, as a Spanish speaker, makes more sense than "la Belleza" becoming "la Beija".

[@phalou]

Oh my god, I’m obsessed with ballroom culture and never knew that.

[@Parisroam]

Idk about that one. There’s not a J sound when you pronounce it in a rican accent

[@rebekah1180]

The part in the documentary The Queen, with Crystal, was small but one of the most memorable. One of the best documentaries I’ve seen.

[@ladyofthecreek279]

Great film, I've seen it several times.

[@TheSReaction]

It was ICONIC!!! Me and my gay coworker would use some of her quotes and no one would know what the hell was going on lol.

[@Hrmerc15]

It’s literally the only part I remember of the doc!

[@andeleon6838]

Peppermint presented this so well! ❤

[@cars8459]

I’m a straight woman and Crystal has long mesmerized me. She definitely had “it” and stayed crazy fashion trendy during every date. She was a true natural beauty and maximized it in a way I can’t even dream of! True artist!

[@andreajones-sojola3106]

I love your delivery of this history!

[@Mikinaak2023]

Thank you for bringing her life up. If it wasn't for her speaking her outrage of the incongruencies of those times. I am in awe that she went from that indignity to providing a safe haven for the abused and discarded LGBTQ youth and young adults and channeling it into the art form it is evolving to to date. I glad she showed her colours. She had every right to. RIP Legendary Queen Crystal LaBeija.

[@oralogarro9932]

Me and my friends met her once and was very nice and kind and thank us for coming. ♥️♥️♥️🙏

[@missvalerie4040]

Crystal is a legendary icon. She made a beautiful impact on this world. Rest In Peace Love.

[@devontehuntley6274]

It's sad we barely know much about this person such as when she was born (I'm assuming sometime in the early 1930s), her real name, and even her death seems a mystery. She's reported to have died in 1982 and by the Paris Is Burning movie, she's no longer around. It's not mentioned she died, but Peppa Labeija is running the house and she mentions how Crystal "use" to run it. But Crystal is mentioned being around in 1993 in some article which makes no sense. I hope some new info on Crystal emerges in the future. Lots of people had to have known her for her biography to be so bear we barely know anything on her other than her role in that documentary movie. Peppa didn't really mention much of her in the interviews I can gather of her, which I found odd. For some one as popular and a stigma to the drag community as Crystal, how is more not known about her???

[@cammik2229]

Agreed. There are definitely people out there who know her story and are still around i.e Junior Labeija but I have a feeling she liked to live privately during her latter years. It's also possible that her family who may have not been accepting of her lifestyle, cut everyone off after she died. I'm not sure if you've seen P.S Burn This Letter Please, it's a documentary on queen's from this era, but there were many sad stories where families of the deceased cut them off from the drag world as they never accepted it.

[@anthonyL1995]

She sadly was an alcoholic and bitter. She was alive during the filming of Paris is Burning but didn't do ballroom anymore.

[@gothycouch]

She was alive in paris is burning she just wasn’t in the ballroom scene

[@SteadilyAscending]

@Lunar tears May that energy you sent out return to you swiftly🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@blankspace8758]

Is still alive?

[@lehliladevandria5712]

I have been trying to rehearse her Iconic speech from The Queen. This will give me the life I need.

[@daphnesawyer8555]

I love seeing peppermint thriving in the mainstream ❤️

[@annissa5356]

It’s PBS, girl. Lol +The mainstream is pushing this, so of course!! It’s a definite agenda.

[@rumblefish9]

Where is Aja though

[@vincentfreddoyle7555]

@@rumblefish9I believe she left the house of labeija

[@1mochadelightable]

I had the honor to see her MC a show at the Apollo. I was 7yrs old👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@tyralikadiamondstar8960]

It's so good to learn about people before me that fought for us to be heard. I'm glad to hear about the houses was start by mother Crystal lavasia

[@luvzfrance24]

I wish there was video footage or pictures from that first ball. How historic!

[@jaywholoveseveryone1721]

Peppermint, you are a GREAT speaker and this video on the late, great and EXTRAVAGANT Queen Mother Crystal LaBeija was very informative and delightful. 💖💖💖 I often wonder what she would think of today's world.

[@josemiguelvelez]

I thought the same thing! If she, and everyone from LGBTQ history could see how far we’ve come (and how far we have to go)!

[@jaywholoveseveryone1721]

@@josemiguelvelez 💖

[@UnshelledTwo4]

Her mouthing “Oh my god. Bitch no.” I liveeeeeee ugh I love our history. Queer history is black history!! Edit: Peppermint killed this. So happy to see her!

[@thedarthflagger]

I thought it was omg, oh please lol

[@atis9061]

She had a thrilling life, regardless of all the struggles. She was blessed

[@GoRicky15]

Without Crystal, there are no Balls, no Vogue, and no Drag Race. Crystal created it all

[@vladimirrurik4579]

Reminds me of that Blackbox song FANTASY.

[@markmares94]

We are here because of Black Trans Women!!!! I bow to thee ❤️❤️❤️

[@GDL364]

They cross dressed not trans.

[@vincentfreddoyle7555]

@@GDL364 0:06

[@flavorwise]

Loved that! Thank you, Peppermint!

[@nim3408]

I was 12 years old then and 'Miss FANNIE"S Ball' in St. Louis was my introduction!

[@Joadeos]

That's awesome! Where was the ball held?

[@stephengattica3]

wow thanks .in the early 80s remember reading about her in a magazine, she will great for snatch game

[@Rebecca-yv7dk]

I love her passion. He said you're showing your color??!!! Bisssshhhhh! I'm so proud of her for standing her ground and being proud of her colour. Good for her

[@jiljilrojamani526]

1967 and crystal had the courage to stand against them all 😮❤ wow , a warrior

[@tatsf]

Thanks for this piece of community history! Having been around the house/ball culture as a pup in NYC in the 70s I know that it's often a part of LGBTQ history that is both important and almost unknown by many outside of it. Great job Peppermint, and thanks for mentioning House of Wong that almost never gets mention but we were adjacent to back then!

[@sedecim]

Peppermint !!!!! Wow on PBS! Yazzzzzzz. Queen

[@fulanideedee8709]

I've only seen a few likenesses of Crystal and they look extremely different. In the movie, The Queen, she looks light-skinned w/a fuller face and stronger chin but in the photo w/her hair pulled back, she looks brown skinned w/a a thinner face, softer chin and more prominent cheekbones. No shade or judgment, its something interesting. I honestly would've never thought that they were the same person.

[@JamesSmith-pp5vp]

In the pageants she, and other black and brown women, wore lighter makeup to increase their chances of winning. It's also likely that she had some work done between those photos.

[@fulanideedee8709]

@@JamesSmith-pp5vp Yeah, I heard that and was wondering about it. But dang, she put lighter make up on her entire body? Wow, that's dedication to the craft.

[@fulanideedee8709]

@@JamesSmith-pp5vp ...and yes she could have lost weight, illness could've altered her appearance, as well as plastic surgery.

[@summeraugust1976]

Great information and herstory telling. Thank you.

[@cherishoneal9108]

Crystal’s outburst just goes to show that even in lgbt circles, racism is still prominent.

[@DancingDeity]

I have only been in the vogue scene for a little bit but you can tell a lot of people have a eurocentric mindset as they favor those who appear to be so. I've gotten negative energy from white gays, white cishet women and asian women (especially the ones who visit from Asia) in the scene. People really need to check themselves and understand why this environment exists.

[@carlosabrigojr3482]

We need a biopic of The Fabulous Crystal Labeija!!

[@kp-mp8tm]

you won't be able to get an authentic backstory for her as no one is alive to tell her story firsthand. Everyone alive would've known a bit about her from their encounter with Pepper as some of her kids and grandkids (ballroom chosen kids) are alive

[@vladimirrurik4579]

Yeah sure, right after Harlow has her story again at Cannes., and then…after 🐖 fly.

[@vladimirrurik4579]

Hey if you can’t cat fight here then…chol.

[@LifeandLove85]

So little is known about Crystal.

[@OGseoulite]

I absolutely adore the fact Perppermint is that one telling her story

[@Kiro6666]

Crystal was to fucking fierce she slay slay for life and she is among the most famous superstar of all time

[@heyheyhey40]

Great educational video! And Peppermint did a great job reading the prompter.

[@tonganqueenb5517]

What a fabulous legacy. Long live the house of Labeija!

[@Kiki-D-Kimono]

Thank you for educating our children. That

[@timmy13duffy]

All LOVE to you and these beautiful people!!!

[@Unbought]

OMG, thanks for explaining this. I have seen the clip hundreds of times and never understood what was going on.

[@LeaRe3d]

RIP mother LaBeija.

[@deonwhite201]

Bravo 🙌 I just scribed thank you 🙏 for sharing

[@tysonb3568]

Thank you for narrating this Peppermint!

[@SuperSkinandHairCare]

You betta work and teach the children, Peppermint!!!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@jasjongalvan1544]

Im glad to learn this history.

[@DrBeeSpeaks]

Yes, this culture is also prominent in Chicago.🥰 Many bold trailblazers back in the day! ❤️

[@lucio.martinez]

I'm always in awe to hear how the older queens, took in the young and vulnerable ones.

[@sweett3469]

Ms.Peaches was our Queen from Baton Rouge!!! She was too fierce !!! Love the Queens!!!!!

[@KL-zt6jx]

This is a great episode. Drag history is so interesting. (Kinda makes me sad that I'm not living in the US.)

[@petrvilimek6041]

Which means you can technically open the doors for queens where you live

[@canaryinacoalmine7267]

Ball culture is not necessarily drag. Do not let the people at Drag Race fool you. Drag Race is guilty of ripping off Ballroom.

[@KL-zt6jx]

@@canaryinacoalmine7267 That's true. I should have said ball culture, since that encompasses way more.

[@brayanisrael9175]

@@KL-zt6jx drag came from ballroom, ballroom didnt come from drag. Just like all apples are fruits, but not all fruits are apples 😊

[@pelayo341]

@Brayan Israel it's literally stated in this vídeo that Crystal started the ballroom scene after a failed career in drag pageants

[@suradechpongganta7450]

This is truly and purely THE education.

[@justMarqi]

She’s an icon. She’s the moment.

[@otohime8516]

I love Crystal Labeija

[@eddodelafuente8838]

Guurl la Peppermint looks AAAAMAZING!!! Gorgeous As Heaven!!! Living for you guurl! 💋

[@pendavis455]

I would like to make a correction. Crystal did not die in 1982. She was still around in the 90's living in The Bronx.

[@stuntycuntyqueen8246]

They kill me with they’re in accurate HISTORY !

[@ariahill2345]

She was a real QUEEN ❣️

[@molara415]

Thank you for this video luv!

[@moonpiemoonpie]

This was excellent!

[@ruthhaywood3473]

Girl u did this video. 👏

[@rodneycorbit3259]

You're a very GOOD storyteller!! Pepmnt!!

[@AurelioVidal]

I love this! ♥️

[@deanolaurence3932]

I wish we knew more about crystal

[@charlieveguilla7034]

This is so badass story I love it

[@t.c.amosiv3283]

Yesss!!!! History!!!!

[@tricksgrl2]

Peppermint has a great voice for documentaries and the like

[@BlakeGildaphish76]

It's just so fucked up that within one of the most notoriously hated communities, Black and Latino people were/are still ostracized by white counterparts. i grew up believing that, AT LEAST, there is tolerance within gay community. There's no black, no white, no brown and no yellow. JUST GAY. Apparently, that was wishful thinking. i get the impression that there will always be an issue with race as far as most white people are concerned, no matter the community. And that's probably the saddest thing of all. It makes no sense whatsoever that we are still fighting for the same things that was fought/marched for in the 50s, 60s and 70s. i am almost 40 years old and convinced that things will never change. At least not in my lifetime.

[@Alusnovalotus]

There isn’t. The parts can be rearranged but what they are molded by stayed the same. Until now. Through pain, comes growth. We shape our own reality. One day all this will be looked at with shock by those that will come after us and society will be completely different. But we gotta act in our present to give them that future. ✌🏽

[@morellawalker373]

Wow, I'm really sorry you don't think things have gotten any better. I grew up in the South in the 60s, and I think less people are racist and biased with each generation. Unfortunately the ones who are are very vocal and visible. But overall, things are much better than when I grew up!

[@thedarthflagger]

"A house is a gay street gang" Dorian corey

[@ringsofblayze4026]

💅🏾

[@indashadewithguccipaid510]

We need more stories on Chrystal we want more pictures stories she would be in her 80s now I know somebody got pics and stories

[@markwright349]

Great Job 👍

[@rbeygarcia]

No, darling. What they called her was ‘La Vieja’ which means ‘The Old Lady’, ‘Crazy Lady’, ‘The Spinster’, ‘Battle Axe’, etc. There is a famous house song called ‘Vieja Loca’ which referred either to a Crazy Old Lady or a Crazy Old Queen.

[@Crazypixiness]

Love to learn about this!

[@dbmnfinity1]

VERY well done!

[@ColourfulSushi]

Peppermint is so beautiful! I love her

[@brucecoleman4228]

I dont think she reinvented it. She INVENTED IT!!!

[@arabiabarboza267]

Crystal gave me my strength 💪

[@jhufelcarcellar463]

If only Crystal is still alive right now , I will worship her like a Goddess! 💋👑💋👑❤️

[@variousJnames]

She didn't invent ball culture, but she was the driving force behind creating the balls where POP were accepted.

[@tabbazzseaye7549]

Crystal LaBeijia passed away in '93

[@trishaeverton9592]

I love the way that name just rolls off your tongue.

[@obsessionlovely3380]

And the reason she was chosen third was because they wanted to pick white queens all the time over black ones that’s why they started their own systems like Miss Black universe, and Miss Black America. Kudos to you, QUEEN CRYSTAL👑😻😍🥰❤️🔥 for standing up against racism that we still face today in these pageant forums. I absolutely loved when she said I am beautiful and I know I’m beautiful .❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@TwiceasNiceee]

Okay PBS we see you 😊

[@bookworm5433]

I love it.

[@e.q.k.vision294]

Very interesting

[@cornrows07]

She was a true beauty 💕

[@musiqkidchristian]

Thank you, Mother!!!

[@travelingwithvanessa]

I know someone, not a troll, will answer this serious question for me. I am 63 years old. Graduated from Pratt Institute. During that time, Pratt was on the cover of Time magazine for having the largest "gay union". I am a heterosexual Black woman. Still to this day, I do not understand why males--who have stated that they have no desire to become transformed beings who have become women--routinely call themselves by female terms (for example "herstory, sista, girl, she, etc.)? I have often wondered whether the real feeling of gay men is that of a man who is a homosexual OR a gay man as a man who wants to be a woman, who is a "heterosexual?" It's still perplexes me. Any sincere and helpful explanations are appreciated. Thank you.💟

[@GDL364]

It’s just slang amongst feminine/flamboyant gay men it’s not that deep.

[@travelingwithvanessa]

@@GDL364 Thank you for responding. Now it's understood. 👍🏽💗

[@Swoop2565]

It comes out of defiance …the larger society said : you think your a woman and in defiance they said : yes I’m a woman and it has manifested from that attitude ( I’ll show you !!!)

[@RatherRetired]

@@Swoop2565 Thank you responding. Have a grand weekend. ✨✨

[@emaadkhan5168]

such an information video!

[@reneesimone5713]

You need your own talk show your excellent!

[@kalimahwmuhammad]

Ok I love this

[@aaliyahleveau7205]

This is so beautiful.

[@michaelhart7282]

Love seeing Peppermint get booked

[@mka6671]

I don’t know Peppermint but she is gorgeous. 😍

[@zshzanTila]

she's incredible

[@JR-mi8ry]

OMG how awesome