Queer history podcast covering content from around the world and throughout time. Marsha P. Johnson. "[68] In the summer of 1991, Johnson participated in the interfaith AIDS memorial service at the Church of Saint Veronica in Greenwich Village. Never without a flower in her hair, Marsha was also referred to as a saint, even the Patron Saint of the LGBTQ community. This book includes an essay by Glenn Ligon on Warhols portrait of Marsha, and the issues of race and class which are tied up with that. Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries by Leslie Feinberg (2006). It largely focusses on where Marsha's death sits within the wider context of transphobic violence across the USA. [55], By 1966, Johnson lived on the streets[2] and engaged in survival sex. Free to Use and Reuse Sets - Batches of primary sources on engaging topics. [26] Johnson said the phrase once to a judge, who was amused by it, leading to Johnson's release. Britannica does not review the converted text. The fifth of seven children, she was born Malcolm Michaels Jr. to Malcolm Michaels Sr. and Alberta (Claiborne) Michaels on August 24, 1945 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. "I've been involved in gay liberation ever since it first started in 1969", 15:20 into the interview, Johnson is quoted as saying this. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e3-5fa8-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99. She was tragically found dead on July 6, 1992 at the age of 46. Johnson also confirmed not being present at the Stonewall Inn when the rioting broke out, but instead had heard about it and went to get Sylvia Rivera who was at a park uptown sleeping on a bench to tell her about it. As the nascent Gay Rights movement swirled around her, Johnson fought social mores, the police, and her own demons. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. Her desire for traditional feminine clothing quickly drew a reprimand from her father, a General Motors assembly line worker and housekeeper mother, as well as from the larger society. - Marsha P. Johnson Plaque #1: A gay rights activist since the 60's known to many as the Mayor of Christopher Street, Edward Francis Murphy is credited with organizing the celebrations that annually follows the NYC Gay Pride Parade, an event now rebranded as PrideFest that is observed world-wide. Marsha P. Johnson was a trans-rights activist who played a big role in important moments for the LGBTQ+ movement, such as the Stonewall protests. our podcast on drag queen and activist Marsha P. Johnson, Activist Dick Leitschs account, written September 1969, Articles by journalists Howard Smith and Lucien Truscott, written July 1969, Letter written by Edmund White, June/July 1969, Pay It No Mind - The Life and Times of Marsha P. Johnson. Marsha P. Johnson (August 24, 1945 - July 6, 1992), also known as Malcolm Michaels Jr., [3] [4] was an American gay liberation [6] [7] activist and self-identified drag queen. A month after the protests, the first openly gay march took place in New York - a pivotal moment for the gay and trans community everywhere. [79] Those who were close to Johnson considered the death suspicious; many claimed that while Johnson did struggle mentally, this did not manifest itself as suicidal ideation. He's like the spirit that follows me around, you know, and helps me out in my hour of need. The LGBTQ community was fed up with being targeted by the police and seeing these public arrests incited rioting that spilled over into the neighboring streets and lasted several days. Johnson and Rivera were key players in the 1969 New York riots, which historians say ignited the modern LGBTQ rights movement. This profile is part of anarticlewritten by Cal Goodin for the National Parks Conservation Association. Marsha P. Johnson grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, with her mother. In 1970 she cofounded with fellow transgender rights activist Sylvia Rivera the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR). Police allowed Seventh Avenue to be closed while Johnson's ashes were carried to the river. In fact, it was likely a Black drag king with a complex gender identity from Louisiana named Storm Delarverie who threw the first brick by punching a police officer. She also began to perform as a drag queen initially going by the name "Black Marsha . "[28] In an interview with Allen Young, in 1972's, Out of the Closets: Voices of Gay Liberation, Johnson discussed being a "Street Transvestite Action Revolutionary", saying, "A transvestite is still like a boy, very manly looking, a feminine boy. "I want people to stand beneath the halo and know that they can be like her. Always sporting a smile, Johnson was an important advocate for homeless LGBTQ+ youth, those effected by H.I.V. The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson - David Frances 2017 documentary. That same decade, he himself became the first trans man to undergo a phalloplasty. [29], Johnson's style of drag was not serious ("high drag" or "show drag"[20]) due to being unable to afford to purchase clothing from expensive stores. [72] Agosto Machado continues, "She was making offerings of flowers and change to King Neptune as an appeasement to help her friends who are on the other side. Marsha P. Johnson was born Malcolm Michaels, Jr. on August 24, 1945 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. [53], With Rivera, Johnson established STAR House, a shelter for homeless gay and trans youth in 1970,[54] and paid the rent for it with money they made themselves as sex workers. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Please support this #LivingMemorial by following on Instagram: JESUS WAS BLACK AND TRANS: Or at least the Jesus of Sheridan Square was Black and Trans. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. Despite this, following the events at Stonewall, Johnson and her friend .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Sylvia Rivera co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) and they became fixtures in the community, especially in their commitment to helping homeless transgender youth. Marsha is honored as a Stonewall instigator, a drag queen, an Andy Warhol model, an actress and a revolutionary trans activist. Marsha went missing in 1992 and six days later police found Marsha's body. Blitz, Michael began reading texts on medicine, and endocrinology. [5] Johnson spoke of first having a mental breakdown in 1970. [43] In 1992, gay bashing was epidemic in New York. ", "Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries found STAR House | Global Network of Sex Work Projects", "Marsha P. Johnson The Village AIDS Memorial", "Meet the Transgender Activist Fighting to Keep Marsha P. Johnson's Legacy Alive", Blacklips Performance Cult Chronology of Plays, "LGBT History Month Icon Of The Day: Marsha P. Johnson", "Mural of Marsha P Johnson and Sylvia Rivera vandalised with moustaches", "Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera Monuments Are Coming to NYC", "New York City to Honor Revolutionary Trans Activist Marsha P. Johnson With Monument", "Homo Riot, Suriani, The Dusty Rebel "Pay It No Mind", "National LGBTQ Wall of Honor unveiled at Stonewall Inn", "National LGBTQ Wall of Honor to be unveiled at historic Stonewall Inn", "Groups seek names for Stonewall 50 honor wall", "Marsha P. Johnson, late LGBTQ activist, to get monument in N.J. hometown", "Over 75,000 sign petition to have Marsha P. Johnson statue replace Columbus monument", "Mural honoring prominent New Jersey transgender rights activist vandalized in Elizabeth", "Mural of Marsha P. Johnson in NJ Vandalized During Pride", "Campaign underway to restore vandalized mural of transgender pioneer Marsha P. Johnson", "New York governor dedicates state park in memory of LGBTQ activist Marsha P. Johnson", "Brooklyn's East River State Park renamed in honor of late LGBTQ activist and trans icon Marsha P. Johnson", "Marsha P. Johnson Park to get new 'ornamental gateway' to cap off renovations, honor park's namesake", "Brooklyn's Marsha P. Johnson Park to get new 'ornamental' entrance", "Marsha P. Johnson: A transgender pioneer and activist who was a fixture of Greenwich Village street life", Photographs of Marsha P. Johnson by Diana Davies, Sylvia Rivera Reflects on the Spirit of Marsha P Johnson, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marsha_P._Johnson&oldid=1151258878, Johnson appears as a character in two fictional film dramas that are based on real events, including, A large, painted mural depicting Johnson and. According to Susan Stryker, a professor of human gender and sexuality studies at the University of Arizona, Johnson's gender expression could perhaps most accurately be called gender non-conforming; Johnson never self-identified with the term transgender, but the term was also not in broad use while Johnson was alive. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Afeni Shakur. But this year, the global Black Lives Matter anti-racism protests have encouraged people to shine a special light on the impact of black gay and trans activists. Marsha P. Johnson was an African-American gay man and drag artist - someone who dresses extravagantly and performs as a woman - from New Jersey, whose activism in the 1960s and 70s had a huge impact on the LGBTQ+ community. There is power speaking the names of victims aloud. If you listened to our podcast on drag queen and activist Marsha P. Johnson, and you want to learn more, heres a list of all the sources we used. On June 28, 1969, Marsha P. Johnson became one of the faces of the Queer Revolution. This book was the source of a lot of my information about Marshas relationship with Sylvia Rivera; about Marsha and Sylvias experiences in gay activism; and about STAR. Marsha P. Johnson was a well-known face in New York Citys Greenwich Village, where she lived on the street for many years. From 1987 through 1992, Johnson was an AIDS activist with ACT UP. That year we had 1,300 reports of bias crime. [41] Johnson had been speaking out against the "dirty cops" and elements of organized crime that many believed responsible for some of these assaults and murders, and had even voiced the concern that some of what Randy Wicker was stirring up, and pulling Johnson into, "could get you murdered. They said nobody else had been responsible for the death. One person you may have heard about in recent days is Marsha P. Johnson. across the USA. [11] On the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, the Stonewall uprising occurred. Johnson also took part in Gay Pride parades and events. documentary follows the investigation of Marshas death by Puerto This is an excellent place to start reading about STAR - its a collection put together in 2012 of a whole host of writings and interviews from the 1970s. Marsha P. Johnson was an African American transgender woman and revolutionary LGBTQ rights activist. According to Marshas roommate, gay rights activist Randy Wicker, someone stepped forward claiming to be an eyewitness to the murder of Marsha P. Johnson, but his testimony was ignored by investigators. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. [58] In connection with sex work, Johnson claimed to have been arrested over 100 times, and was also shot once, in the late 1970s. For a while she performed with the drag group Hot Peaches. Throughout her life Johnson suffered from mental illness and was in and out of psychiatric hospitals. [18][19] After this, Johnson described the idea of being gay as "some sort of dream", rather than something that seemed possible, and so chose to remain sexually inactive until leaving for New York City at 17. LGBTQ people were routinely rousted, hassled, and arrested on questionable charges. Johnson spearheaded the Stonewall uprising in 1969 and along with Sylvia Rivera, she later established the Street Transvestite (now Transgender) Action Revolutionaries (STAR), a group committed to helping homeless transgender youth in New York City. "[77] This added to the suspicions of foul play and possible murder. She is wearing pearls and has her hair in an up-do decorated with flowers and feathers.]. [36] In 1975, Johnson was photographed by famed artist Andy Warhol, as part of a "Ladies and Gentlemen" series of Polaroids. During that same interview conducted 11 days before her death, we get evidence that Marsha would have also liked that the Village AIDS Memorial was inside the sanctuary of a Roman Catholic Church. "[70], Johnson expressed a relationship with the Divine that was direct and personal, saying in the last interview (June 1992), about leaving home in 1963, "I got the Lord on my side, and I took him to my heart with me and I came to the city, for better or worse. Johnson and Rivera acted as house mothers, guiding and protecting the young people. Marsha P. Johnson (August 24, 1945 July 6, 1992), also known as Malcolm Michaels Jr.,[3][4] was an American gay liberation[6][7] activist and self-identified drag queen. "[20], There is some existing footage of Johnson doing full, glamorous, "high drag" on stage, but most of Johnson's performance work was with groups that were more grassroots, comedic, and political. [14], Johnson was born Malcolm Michaels Jr. on August 24, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Download the official NPS app before your next visit, Gay liberation activist, AIDS activist, performer, seven-acre waterfront park in Brooklyn to Marsha P. Johnson. She was seen dropping a very heavy object on top of a police car, among other actions. It largely focusses on where [53] Initially sentenced to 90 days in prison for the assault, Johnson's lawyer eventually convinced the judge that Bellevue Hospital would be more suitable. Marsha P. Johnson was an African American transgender women who was an LGBTQ rights activist and an outspoken advocate for trans people of color. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. She is credited for being an instigator in the Stonewall riots. If you listened to our podcast on the Stonewall Riots, and youre keen to learn more, heres a list of the sources that I used when researching the episode. [78], According to Sylvia Rivera, their friend Bob Kohler believed Johnson had committed suicide due to an ever-increasing fragile state, which Rivera herself disputed, claiming she and Johnson had "made a pact" to "cross the 'River Jordan' (aka Hudson River) together". Some books which include general information on Marsha are: Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution by David Carter (2010). This was the source of a lot of my information . Copyright 2019 Marsha P. Johnson Institute. How Nan Goldin Waged War Against Big Pharma, How the Greensboro Four Began the Sit-In Movement, Biography: You Need to Know: Bayard Rustin, Biography: You Need to Know: Sylvia Rivera, Biography: You Need to Know: Dorothy Pittman Hughes. [11], Johnson was a founding member of the Gay Liberation Front and co-founded the radical activist group Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (S.T.A.R. Marsha picketing Bellevue Hospital to protest their treatment of queer people c.1970, holding a sign reading Power to the people. Sources:Goodin, Cal. Images of Marsha P. Johnson from Andy Warhols 1975 series Ladies and Gentlemen. [62][41], Johnson's body was cremated and, following a funeral at a local church, and a march down Seventh Avenue, friends released Johnson's ashes over the Hudson River, off the Christopher Street Piers. Johnson was born Malcolm Michaels, Jr., on August 24, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. [1] Her work continues today through the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, which fights for the rights of Black transgender people. She didn't leave a note. Careers "The Unsung Heroines of Stonewall" National Parks Conservation Association Blog, October 1, 2020. and AIDS, and gay and transgender rights. [45] Watson also reported that Johnson's saintly personality was "volatile" and listed a roster of gay bars from which Johnson had been banned. All I want is my freedom. Finally, she decided shed make her own fun and started checking out the local scene. ), alongside close friend Sylvia Rivera. "[72] Johnson succeeded in pulling Kohler's shirt off and throwing it into the Hudson River. Johnson designed all of her own costumes (mostly from thrift shops). She was joyous and creative and enjoyed performing. And he said, 'You know, you might wind up with nothing.' For instance, Rivera insisted on claiming transvestite solely for use by gay people, writing in the essay "Transvestites: Your Half Sisters and Half Brothers of the Revolution", "Transvestites are homosexual men and women who dress in clothes of the opposite sex. Johnson variably identified as gay, as a transvestite, and as a queen (referring to drag queen or "street queen"). Privacy Policy However, she found joy as a drag queen amidst the nightlife of Christopher Street. Michaels' father, Malcolm Michaels Sr., was an assembly line worker at General Motors, while Michaels' mother, Alberta Claiborne, was a housekeeper. To share with more than one person, separate addresses with a comma. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. I also want to add that just because I referenced these sources doesnt mean I agree with everything they say. On the second night, however, several eyewitness accounts had her climbing up a light post with a brick in her purse which she promptly let drop on a police squad car below, shattering the window. [12] Johnson was also a popular figure in New York City's gay and art scene, modeling for Andy Warhol, and performing onstage with the drag performance troupe Hot Peaches. Do you find this information helpful? PROTECT AND DEFEND THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF BLACK TRANS PEOPLE! Death Date: Jul 1992. Rivera, Sylvia, "Transvestites: Your Half Sisters and Half Brothers of the Revolution" in, Shepard, Benjamin Heim and Ronald Hayduk (2002). During the fight he used a homophobic slur, and later bragged to someone at a bar that he had killed a drag queen named Marsha. Marsha "Pay it No Mind" Johnson moved to Greenwich Village in 1963 with a high school diploma and $15 to her name. [45], Carter writes that Robin Souza had reported that fellow Stonewall veterans and gay activists such as Morty Manford and Marty Robinson had told Souza that on the first night, Johnson "threw a shot glass at a mirror in the torched bar screaming, 'I got my civil rights'". Were very excited and we cant wait to share this with you! There Johnson began frequenting bars and nightclubs dressed as a female called Black Marsha. A pair of women seated, two men standing, with nothing really explicitly gay about any of them. Primary sources like this reel-to-reel recording offer crucial insight into LGBTQ history in its historical complexity, providing a window into Johnson and Rivera's ideas about gender and sexuality and political vision at the dawn of gay liberation. [45], Johnson has been named, along with Zazu Nova and Jackie Hormona,[46] by a number of the Stonewall veterans interviewed by David Carter in his book, Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution, as being "three individuals known to have been in the vanguard" of the pushback against the police at the uprising. Take a minute to check out all the enhancements! About Press 2021 Impact Report Donate Subscribe to our Newsletter Resources/ Organization This website uses cookies to improve your experience. The two worked for gay and transgender rights while also providing housing for LGBTQ youth living on the streets. They just dropped her right on the floor. Initially and quickly ruled a suicide by the NYPD, controversy and protest followed, eventually leading to a re-opening of the case as a possible homicide. She was a pioneer of the gay rights movement in the late 1960s and spent the following two decades advocating for equal rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community. [20][45], Johnson was one of the first drag queens to go to the Stonewall Inn, after they began allowing women and drag queens inside; it was previously a bar for only gay men. Database on-line. Marsha, who was living and working in New York at the time, was one of the key figures who stood up to the police during the raids. It was incredibly useful in putting together our podcast on Marsha, and well worth a look. Marsha P. Johnson and the Stonewall Rebellion: Crash Course Black American History #41 CrashCourse 59K views 8 months ago L020A Sylvia Rivera, "Y'all Better Quiet Down" Original Authorized. She'd be wearing velvet and throwing glitter. The two most extensive sources on Marsha are both documentaries: Pay It No Mind- Michael Kasinos 2012 documentary. Some of the challenges I faced when researching my topic was finding primary sources from people who were a huge part in starting the riot, such as Marsha P Johnson or Sylvia Rivera. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! It is reproduced with permission. She was one of the demonstrators during the Stonewall riots in 1969, protesting against police harassment and social discrimination of gay and transgender individuals. July 6, 1992 Place of Burial: Cremated Cemetery Name: Ashes scattered in the Hudson River Marsha P. Johnson grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, with her mother. Despite her difficulties with mental illness and numerous police encounters, whenever she was asked what the P in her name stood for and when people pried about her gender or sexuality, she quipped back with pay it no mind. Her forthright nature and enduring strength led her to speak out against injustices.