Tina Knowles, the mother of Beyoncé, released a memoir on April 22 about the challenges she has faced due to her race and the limitations of girlhood growing up. Entitled Matriach, the book goes on to follow her life as she continues to face grief, love, and creative risks all for the sake of family. In this memoir, she also writes about ‘Uncle Johnny’, who was her nephew, commenting on the love they had for one another and the challenges he faced as a young Black gay person growing up in Galveston, Texas.

Fans of Beyoncé may be familiar with Uncle Johnny due to the impact his life and his passing had on Tina Knowles and her daughters. Beyoncé’s album Renaissance was dedicated to the house music he introduced to her and her sister, Solange, at a young age. This was coupled alongside having a dedicated mention in the song ‘Heated’, as Beyoncé sings about Uncle Johnny making dresses for her singing group, Girls Tyme, which would later be known as Destiny’s Child. With the whole album and accompanying tour being dedicated to Black queer culture, even including a projection of the LGBTQ+ flag at the start, his inclusion was fitting.

 

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In the heart-warming passages, Tina Knowles shares the story of her and Uncle Johnny. Within the paragraphs, you can feel the love she clearly had for her nephew. In an excerpt published by Vogue, Tina Knowles shares, “If you ask me what my earliest memory is of him, you might as well ask me about how I knew I needed air to breathe or water to drink. Johnny was just there.”

Growing up, Johnny led the family; he was seen as the boss and respected as such. But in their homophobic town, the family also did what they could to protect Johnny. Tina wrote how she felt especially close to Johnny as “he understood what it was to be constantly shown that, outside our family, you don’t fit in.”

Despite the challenges he faced, he continued to be gay, proud and out loud, even becoming a fashion designer for their local town residents and eventually drag queens. This was done while being present in Beyoncé and Solange’s lives and being a loved figure to them, hence the name Uncle Johnny. Though his passing at the age of 48 due to AIDS-related complications would deeply hurt this family, they have done all they can to keep his memory alive in joy and celebration.

“I started to cry and smile at the same time, knowing this was what Johnny wanted. To be loved and celebrated. We raised a toast and danced on it. ‘Here’s to Johnny.'”