And I said, Honey, I don't care if I never have nothing ever till the day I die. Further, she talks about the impact the person on plaque #1 of the Village AIDS Memorial had on her life: Ed Murphy was the one who put me in the Stonewall Car in 1980; he took me from the back of the parades and put me up-front.. [5][15][16][17] Commenting on this upbringing, Johnson said, "I got married to Jesus Christ when I was sixteen years old, still in high school. [26] Johnson said the phrase once to a judge, who was amused by it, leading to Johnson's release. 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. How many years [does it take] for people to realize we are all brothers and sisters and human beings in the human race.. Never without a flower in her hair, Marsha was also referred to as a saint, even the Patron Saint of the LGBTQ community. While the first two nights of rioting were the most intense, the clashes with police would result in a series of spontaneous demonstrations and marches through the gay neighborhoods of Greenwich Village for roughly a week afterwards. All rights reserved. [45][37] Johnson denied starting the uprising. LGBTQ people were routinely rousted, hassled, and arrested on questionable charges. Choose a language from the menu above to view a computer-translated version of this page. During a time when same-sex marriage was illegal in the United States, the judge asked what "happened to this alleged husband", Johnson responded, "Pig shot him". They also maintained the STAR House, a place of refuge for LGBTQ homeless youth. In 2012 the police, under renewed public pressure, reopened the case. In a 1992 interview, Johnson described being the young victim of rape by a thirteen-year-old boy. [1] Her work continues today through the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, which fights for the rights of Black transgender people. In 2015, The Marsha P. Johnson Institute was established. These events have been collectively described as a riot, a rebellion, a protest, and an uprising. Whatever the label, this was certainly a watershed moment in LGBT history. 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. Were very excited and we cant wait to share this with you! For more information specifically on STAR, Id encourage you to check out: Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries: Survival, Revolt, and Queer Antagonist Struggle. [44] During those moments when Johnson's violent side emerged, according to an acquaintance Robert Heide, Johnson could be aggressive and short-tempered and speak in a deeper voice and, as Malcolm, would "become a very nasty, vicious man, looking for fights". Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again (2018). [27], The definitions used by Rivera and Johnson were not always the same as those documented in the more mainstream literature of the era. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. "[15], In Pay it No Mind friends Bob Kohler and Agosto Machado talk about Johnson's relationship with Neptune. Community Standards Marshas death sits within the wider context of transphobic violence A neighbor also said Johnson would pray, prostrate on the floor in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary, in the church across from Randy Wicker's apartment (where Johnson lived in later years). [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. [11] On the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, the Stonewall uprising occurred. While I recommend some of these sources for the information they contain, I dont condone this decision. She suffered from mental illness, weathering breakdowns, arrests, and stints at psychiatric hospitals even as she strove to promote gay civil rights. One of Johnson's most notable direct actions occurred in August 1970, staging a sit-in protest at Weinstein Hall at New York University alongside fellow GLF members after administrators canceled a dance when they found out that it was sponsored by gay organizations. They just dropped her right on the floor. Johnson would go on to create a trans rights group with Sylvia Rivera called Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR). I mean how many years does it take for people to see that we're all in this rat race together. 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. In 1970 she cofounded with fellow transgender rights activist Sylvia Rivera the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR). After graduating from Thomas A. Edison High School in 1963, Johnson moved to New Yorks Greenwich Village. Plaque #1: A gay rights activist since the 60s 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. About Press 2021 Impact Report Donate Subscribe to our Newsletter Resources/ Organization This website uses cookies to improve your experience. She was homeless and prostituted herself to make ends meet. Check out our podcast to learn more about the wonderful Marsha P. Johnson! [5] Police initially ruled the death a suicide,[37] but Johnson's friends and other members of the local community insisted Johnson was not suicidal and noted that the back of Johnson's head had a massive wound. Happy birthday to drag queen and activist Marsha P Johnson, born 24 August 1945! In 1970, along with fellow activist Sylvia Rivera, she founded STAR - the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries - which aimed to provide food, housing, legal aid, and other necessities to homeless trans youth. Michaels' father, Malcolm Michaels Sr., was an assembly line worker at General Motors, while Michaels' mother, Alberta Claiborne, was a housekeeper. Up until her dying breath, she confessed with her mouth that she was married to Jesus, a sign of holiness attributed to the earliest Christian martyrs. We're not around right now. Johnson's mother also encouraged her child to find a "billionaire" boyfriend or husband to take care of (Johnson) for life, a goal Johnson often talked about. 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. The flagrant disregard for the life of someone who was Black and queer caused outrage in the community at the time, in an early echo of the type of purpose that powers the Black Lives Matter Movement. How many years does it take for people to see that we're all brothers and sisters and human beings in the human race? On June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street (the hub of the NYC Gay Community in the 1960s), things turned violent after a few LGBTQ people were arrested on questionable charges, handcuffed, and very publicly forced into police cars on the streets of NYC. In 1963, Johnson graduated from Edison High School and promptly moved to New York City with $15 and a bag of clothing. Johnson and Rivera acted as house mothers, guiding and protecting the young people. Marsha resisted arrest, but in the following days, led a series of protests and riots demanding rights for gay people. She worked both as a waitress and a sex worker. After the funeral, a series of demonstrations and marches to the police precinct took place, to demand justice for Johnson. These cookies do not store any personal information. Douglas, c1972. This was the source of a lot of my information . [13], In 2016, Victoria Cruz of the Anti-Violence Project also tried to get Johnson's case reopened, and succeeded in gaining access to previously unreleased documents and witness statements. "[65], Johnson would also make offerings to the saints and spirits in a more personal manner, keeping a private altar at home when possible. Though we often glorify Marsha as one of the greatest civil rights leaders of the 20th century, and view through rose-colored glasses her glamorous role as muse to Andy Warhol, we also tend to white-wash her life and willfully forget that she was a prostitute that was often homeless. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. For anyone wanting to learn more about drag queen and activist Marsha P. Johnson, this entire documentary is available for free on Youtube! Thats how legendary Stonewall leader Marsha P. Johnson came to be known in Greenwich Village due to her benevolence, kindness and generosity. The two most extensive sources on Marsha are both documentaries: Pay It No Mind- Michael Kasinos 2012 documentary. An eccentric woman known for her outlandish hats and glamorous jewelry, she was fearless and bold. Notes:[1] Marsha's body was recovered from the Hudson River. PROTECT AND DEFEND THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF BLACK TRANS PEOPLE! [48] On the first anniversary of the Stonewall rebellion, on June 28, 1970, Johnson marched in the first Gay Pride rally, then called the Christopher Street Liberation Day. Johnson is often credited with throwing the first brick at Stonewall. Video, County Antrim pupils record special coronation hymn. Soul Poem Written and Performed By Marsha P. Johnson, introduced by Jimmy Camicia Cal Goodin 2 subscribers Subscribe 19 Share Save 591 views 2 years ago Soul: You can count your karma If. Gender: Male. Improved homework resources designed to support a variety of curriculum subjects and standards. She waited and waited, but no one showed up. The riot stemmed from members of New Yorks LGBTQ community being targeted by the New York Police Department (NYPD). If you cant wait until tomorrow, have a listen to our episodes on Marsha P. Johnson and Storm DeLarverie, wholl both be featured (as well as Harvey Milk for an unexpected cameo!). Over 162 people arrested. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e3-5fa8-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99. 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. Marsha P. Johnson was an African American drag performer and social activist. 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. She didn't leave a note. 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. 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. 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. Marcus Mayer, one of the first people who noticed her corpse floating near the Christopher Street Pier, would go on the record to describe the horror they felt with the way the New York Police Department treated her remains: It was very nasty because the way they pulled her out. [41] Only weeks later, Johnson would also turn up dead under similar circumstances. 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. [74], Shortly after the 1992 Gay pride parade, Johnson's body was discovered floating in the Hudson River. Thats something well be talking about later in the year! "These were sacrifices to her father, and to Neptune, who got all mixed up together," explains Kohler. She was 46 at the time of her death. [33][34] When The Cockettes, a similar drag troupe from San Francisco, formed an East Coast troupe, The Angels of Light, Johnson was also asked to perform with them. Johnson moved to Greenwich Village in New York City after graduating from high school. Choosing a name is a rite of passage for many transgender people, and she tried on a few before settling on Marsha P. Johnson. Marsha P. Johnson was an African American drag performer and social activist. She was a leader in the LGBTQ community helping their youth that were struggling with homelessness and discrimination and hate. This is where we get a lot of first-hand information from Marsha and most of the quotes of hers which I mentioned in the episode. [49] Shortly after that, Johnson and close friend Sylvia Rivera co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) organization (initially titled Street Transvestites Actual Revolutionaries). Sadly, at the age of 46, on July 6, 1992, Johnsons body was found in the Hudson River off the West Village Piers. The Marsha P. Johnson Institute is a fiscally sponsored project of Social Good Fund, a California nonprofit corporation and registered 501(c)(3) organization, Tax ID (EIN) 46-1323531. [45], Following the Stonewall uprising, Johnson joined the Gay Liberation Front and was active in the GLF Drag Queen Caucus. Birth Place: Elizabeth, Union, New Jersey [Elizabeth, New Jersey]. [5][66] As friend James Gallagher related in the Pay it No Mind documentary interviews,[67] "Marsha would always say she went to the Greek Church, she went to the Catholic Church, she went to the Baptist Church, she went to the Jewish Temple - she said she was covering all angles. After completing high school in 1963, he moved to New York, New York. By continuing to use this site, you consent to the terms of our cookie policy, which can be found in our. Many eyewitnesses have identified Marsha as one of the main instigators of the uprising and thus, some have recognized her as the vanguard of the gay liberation movement in the United States. Johnson began going to the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in the Greenwich Village section of New York City, in the late 1960s. A feature photo of Johnson in this article shows Johnson in a flowing wig and makeup, and a translucent shirt, pants and parka highlighting the ways that, quoting Kate Millett's Sexual Politics, White says, "she is both masculine and feminine at once. Marsha P. Johnson ARCC Marsha P. Johnson Mar 22 Marsha P. Johnson, "The P stands for Pay It No Mind" is how she would respond to questions about her gender. That year we had 1,300 reports of bias crime. "The Unsung Heroines of Stonewall" National Parks Conservation Association Blog, October 1, 2020. The particular video which I found useful in getting an understanding of Marsha was this video of people gathered at the memorial created beside the Hudson River in the days after her death. Herself HIV positive (just like 44% of Black Trans people in the United States today), Marsha also notably nursed AIDS victims as they wasted away. Marsha went missing in 1992 and six days later police found Marsha's body. Happy birthday to Marsha P. Johnson, born 24 August 1945! VideoWatch Newsround - signed and subtitled, Wildflowers fit for a king: Special seeds for schools to mark coronation, County Antrim pupils record special coronation hymn. [35] In 1973, Johnson performed the role of "The Gypsy Queen" in the Angels' production, "The Enchanted Miracle", about the Comet Kohoutek. We do this by organizing, advocating, creating an intentional community to heal, developing transformative leadership, and promoting our collective power. Weve been busy, working hard to bring you new features and an updated design. This was the source of my direct quotes from Randy. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Marsha P. Johnsons housemate Randy Wicker in Pay It No Mind. And he said, 'You know, you might wind up with nothing.' That's what made me in New York, that's what made me in New Jersey, that's what made me in the world." Civic Engagement and Primary Sources Through Key Moments in History. [36] In 1975, Johnson was photographed by famed artist Andy Warhol, as part of a "Ladies and Gentlemen" series of Polaroids. ), alongside close friend Sylvia Rivera. In 2019, the head of New York's Police Department apologised for their actions, saying, "the actions taken by the NYPD were wrong". 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. Search the online collections An early ACT UP member and AIDS activist, Johnson also became a victim of the disease. Marsha was a founder of STAR - the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries - which provided food, housing, legal aid, and other necessities to homeless trans youth. These stats were sourced hereand here. [6] Their response was to march defiantly ahead of the parade. [8][9] Known as an outspoken advocate for gay rights, Johnson was one of the prominent figures in the Stonewall uprising of 1969. Who would have thought that her body would be found in the Hudson River with a hole in her head on July 6, 1992. 2023 BBC. [8] [9] Known as an outspoken advocate for gay rights, Johnson was one of the prominent figures in the Stonewall uprising of 1969. According to Johnson, the police had forced her and others out onto the street to line up and be frisked the night before and then returned the next night and set the Stonewall Inn on fire. [6][10][11] Though some have mistakenly credited Johnson for starting the riots, Johnson was always forthcoming about having not been present when the riots began. Marsha P. Johnson was an African American transgender women who was an LGBTQ rights activist and an outspoken advocate for trans people of color. She quickly became a prominent fixture in the LGBTQ community serving as a drag mother by helping homeless and struggling LGBTQ youth and touring the world as a successful drag queen with the Hot Peaches. 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. Marsha P. Johnson Institute - Marsha P. Johnson Institute Information Careers Resources Contact Us Newsletter Subscription Community Standards Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions Supporting The Marsha P. Johnson Institute Follow us PROTECT AND DEFEND THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF BLACK TRANS PEOPLE! Others said they saw Marsha being harassed by a group of "thugs" a few days before they died. BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. [29] Also discussed are Johnson's experiences of the dangers of working as a street prostitute in drag, and Johnson's husband who was murdered. This would be amongst the last activist causes in the life of a person whose voice changed the world. Marsha P. Johnson was a well-known face in New York Citys Greenwich Village, where she lived on the street for many years. As the broader gay and lesbian movement shifted toward leadership from white cisgender men and women, trans people of color were swept to the outskirts of the movement. Marsha P. Johnson was an African American transgender woman and revolutionary LGBTQ rights activist. Marsha P. Johnson Biography, Biography.com, December 14, 2017, https://www.biography.com/people/marsha-p-johnson-112717; Sewell Chan, Marsha P. Johnson A transgender pioneer and activist who was a fixture of Greenwich Village street life, The New York Times.com, March 8, 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/obituaries/overlooked-marsha-p-johnson.html; Eric Marcus, Marsha P. Johnson & Randy Wicker, Making Gay History, March 2, 2017, https://makinggayhistory.com/podcast/episode-11-johnson-wicker/. It was incredibly useful in putting together our podcast on Marsha, and well worth a look. 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. The Gay Liberation Youth Movement in New York: An Army of Lovers Cannot Fail by Stephen Cohen (2007). 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. On May 30, 2019, it was announced that Johnson and Sylvia Rivera would be honored with monuments at Greenwich Village, near the site of the Stonewall club. Johnson designed all of her own costumes (mostly from thrift shops). Privacy Policy "[14] In November 2012, activist Mariah Lopez succeeded in getting the New York police department to reopen the case as a possible homicide. Just like 44% of Black trans women living in America today, Marsha was HIV positive and notably took care of many people with AIDS on their deathbeds. All I want is my freedom. . I also want to add that just because I referenced these sources doesnt mean I agree with everything they say. Supporting The Marsha P. Johnson Institute. 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. In the same year, Johnson and Rivera founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), which clothed, fed, housed, and advocated for transgender youth from a tenement on the lower eastside. Johnson switched names repeatedly as she established her persona, alternating between her given name Malcolm and Black Marsha before settling on Marsha P. Johnson. To re-enable the tools or to convert back to English, click "view original" on the Google Translate toolbar. It is reproduced with permission.

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