History with Mama Vi [Boston]
History with Mama Vi [Boston]
Experience History with Mama Vi Johnson!
Join us for a special one-day event with Mama Vi Johnson, founder and librarian of the Carter Johnson Leather Library—a living archive dedicated to preserving the rich history of LGBTQIA, BDSM, Leather, and Kink communities. Learn about the history of the lifestyle from one of its most knowledgeable people as Mama Vi shares stories and answer questions.
Saturday May 17th 2025 in Somerville MA
Saturday, May 17th
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Holiday Inn Boston - Cambridge
30 Washington Street, Somerville, MA
Viola Johnson affectionately know as Mama Vi, is a leather woman, activist, motivational speaker and author who has been active in the leather BDSM scene for well over four decades. Mama Vi is a firm believer in preserving leather history. She has served as a mentor to countless individuals, and was dubbed "Mom" by several generations of Leathermen and women, and is delighted to now be “Grandmom” and Great Grandmom to a whole new generation of “kinklings”. Mama Vi is the wife of the first Black International Ms Leather, Jill Carter, IMsL 1996. They have been together 51 years.
Vi is passionately involved with preserving the history of the SM/Leather/Fetish communities. She is the director and Senior Griot of the Carter/Johnson Library and Collection, a compilation of over 15,000 books (both fiction and non-fiction), periodicals, posters and other art, newsletters, and ephemera documenting the history of SM/Leather/Kink from early drawings documenting human sexuality to the present day. The Carter Johnson Library is a 501c3 traveling library designed to bring history to the communities it serves. She serves on the organization’s Board of Directors, as well as on the Board of Directors for the Leather Hall of Fame. Previously, she served on the Board of Directors of the Leather Archives & Museum and other organizations.