Sylvester was known as the “Queen of Disco” during his time, inspiring countless scores of marginalized queer youth of color to embrace their inner selves.

Sylvester was born in Watts, Los Angeles in 1947. He developed a love for singing in a gospel choir as a kid, but left the church when it became clear the church opposed his homosexuality.

At 22, Sylvester moved to San Fransisco, where he found like-minded friends in the city’s community of black crossdressers and trans women. Sylvester, who became revered for his flashy, unpredictable style, androgynous appearance, and blaring falsetto joined an avant-garde dance troupe called the Cockettes.

Sylvester was known for wearing both male and female clothing and having no concerns about heteronormative standards. Sylvester’s biographer Joshua Gamson wrote that for the disco star, “gender was an everyday choice.”

In 1979, San Fransisco mayor Dianne Feinstein declared March 11th “Sylvester Day” and he was awarded the keys to the city. That same year, Sylvester also won three Billboard Awards and received Disco International’s award for Best Male Disco Act.

In 1987, Sylvester was hospitalized for an infection—this was an early sign that he was dying from AIDS. The singer died on December 16th, 1988, from complications caused by the deadly virus. In his will, Sylvester committed all his future music royalties to two San Fransisco-based HIV/AIDS charities, Project Open Hand and the AIDS Emergency Fund.