Who would have thought that her body would be found in the Hudson River with a hole in her head on July 6, 1992. . "Marsha is the crowned mother of queer protest and LGBTQ resilience and resistance," said creator Yoav Wachs. Britannica does not review the converted text. The police ruled she had committed suicide despite claims from her friends and other members of the local community that she was not suicidal. She is best remembered for her generosity and kindness, happily giving away her belongings, or spending her last two dollars on cookies to share around. Accessible across all of today's devices: phones, tablets, and desktops. Improved homework resources designed to support a variety of curriculum subjects and standards. Take a minute to check out all the enhancements! Marsha P. Johnson was an African American drag performer and social activist. Search the online collections [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. Resources Photo by Leonard Fink, Courtesy LGBT Community Center National History Archive, African American History: Research Guides & Websites, Global African History: Research Guides & Websites, African American Scientists and Technicians of the Manhattan Project, Envoys, Diplomatic Ministers, & Ambassadors, Occupation - Entertainer - Drag Performer, https://www.biography.com/people/marsha-p-johnson-112717, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/obituaries/overlooked-marsha-p-johnson.html, https://makinggayhistory.com/podcast/episode-11-johnson-wicker/, Foundation, Organization, and Corporate Supporters. [35] In 1973, Johnson performed the role of "The Gypsy Queen" in the Angels' production, "The Enchanted Miracle", about the Comet Kohoutek. Andrew Cuomo dedicated a seven-acre waterfront park in Brooklyn to Marsha P. Johnson, the first state park dedicated to an LGBTQ historic figure and a transgender woman of color. After visiting David and other friends with the virus in the hospital during the AIDS pandemic, Johnson, who was also HIV-positive, became committed to sitting with the sick and dying, as well as doing street activism with AIDS activist groups including ACT UP. Key moments of black history in the United States, Watch Newsround - signed and subtitled. 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. LGBTQ Seniors, College Students Come Together In Lakeview Art Exhibit Douglas, c1972. That night, she had invited a bunch of her friends, including Rivera, to a party. I also recommend this one in particular if youd like a very in-depth look at the claims and evidence involved. "[51][52], During another incident around this time Johnson was confronted by police officers for hustling in New York. While I recommend some of these sources for the information they contain, I dont condone this decision. If looking for signs as to whether or not Marsha would have approved of the Village AIDS Memorial, we might look twice at the fact that she sat down for this rare sit-down videotaped interview (an absolute treasure for LGBTQ historians) the same day that the Village AIDS Memorial was dedicated, June 26, 1992. In her own words, during a fated interview just 11 days before her death, Marsha expressed: How many people have died for these two little statues to be put in a park to recognize gay people! So significant was the AIDS pandemic to her life, Marsha would often express her wish to journey across the river Jordan, helping AIDS patients all across America in the last years of her life. "[62] In response, marches were organized, and Johnson was one of the activists who marched in the streets, demanding justice. All rights reserved. All Rights Reserved. Rivera, Sylvia, "Transvestites: Your Half Sisters and Half Brothers of the Revolution" in, Shepard, Benjamin Heim and Ronald Hayduk (2002). Podcast unearths earliest known recordings of trans icons Marsha P Read about our approach to external linking. [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. The birth of the Village AIDS Memorial owes as much to community support from the likes of Marsha P. Johnson as it does to the miraculous AIDS hospice created by Saint Mother Teresa. Johnson became well known in the LGBTQ community for her colorful wigs (often crowned with flowers or artificial fruit), red heels, sparkly robes, and multiple strands of costume jewelry. 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. [45], Following the Stonewall uprising, Johnson joined the Gay Liberation Front and was active in the GLF Drag Queen Caucus. It is reproduced with permission. [37][36] In 1990, Johnson performed with The Hot Peaches in London. Johnson was inspired by a Howard Johnson restaurant she liked, and the P stood for Pay it No Mind, which is how she responded when questioned about her gender. 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. If theres anything in particular which I mentioned which youd like to know the source for, feel free to ask! Supporting The Marsha P. Johnson Institute. The two of them became a visible presence at gay liberation marches and other radical political actions. How many years does it take for people to see that we're all brothers and sisters and human beings in the human race? Terms and Conditions And before that, for many years, legend had it that Marsha P. Johnson threw the first brick, but she said herself that by the time she arrived at the Stonewall on that first night, the party was already in full swing. Johnson also took part in Gay Pride parades and events. Marsha P. Johnson (Left) and Sylvia Rivera (Right), Gay Pride Parade, New York City, 1973. and 18% of those were based on violence perpetrated by police." [45] Watson also reported that Johnson's saintly personality was "volatile" and listed a roster of gay bars from which Johnson had been banned. The two worked for gay and transgender rights while also providing housing for LGBTQ youth living on the streets. 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. Marsha P. Johnson grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, with her mother. Johnson and Rivera's interviews and writings in this era also at times used terminology in ways that were sarcastic and camp, other times serious, or all of the above at once. [56][57] While the original location of STAR House was evicted in 1971 and the building was destroyed,[54] the household existed in different configurations and at different locations over the years. 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. We were young enough to believe we could change the world. The police ruled her death a suicide, although friends and family cited a lack of evidence supporting that claim. Her devotions were so ardently sincere that, on several occasions, eyewitnesses place her laying prostate on the floor of Catholic Churches around six in the morning and facing away from the altar because she considered it inappropriate to look directly upon, what she believed, was the holy habitation of the Lord. Civic Engagement and Primary Sources Through Key Moments in History. We intend to reclaim our relationship as BLACK trans people to our movement legacy. For a while she performed with the drag group Hot Peaches. "[15], Johnson first began wearing dresses at the age of five but stopped temporarily due to harassment by boys who lived nearby. 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. 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/. PROTECT AND DEFEND THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF BLACK TRANS PEOPLE! She also began to perform as a drag queen initially going by the name "Black Marsha . [13] Prior to Carter's book, it was claimed Johnson had "thrown a brick" at a police officer, an account that was never verified. This was the source of my direct quotes from Randy. 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. Tell students that the text displayed is a statement by directors Tourmaline and Sasha Wortzel on their short film Happy Birthday Marsha!, which depicts the life of trans activist Marsha P. Johnson in the hours prior to the Stonewall Rebellion. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. 580 plaques is nowhere near representative of the over 100 thousand who died in NYC from HIV/AIDS, but it still makes a far larger dent than the four (its important to acknowledge) White statues commemorating the Gay Liberation Movement inside Christopher Park in front of the Stonewall Inn. Newsletter Subscription Marsha picketing Bellevue Hospital to protest their treatment of queer people c.1970, holding a sign reading Power to the people. However, none of Johnson's friends or relatives believed Johnson was suicidal. LGBTQ people were routinely rousted, hassled, and arrested on questionable charges. [5] Johnson spoke of first having a mental breakdown in 1970. I also want to add that just because I referenced these sources doesnt mean I agree with everything they say. They just dropped her. Johnson subsequently joined the Gay Liberation Front, which was a catalyst for the gay rights movement. It was incredibly useful in putting together our podcast on Marsha, and well worth a look. Marsha P. Johnson Institute - Marsha P. Johnson Institute Marsha P. Johnson (U.S. National Park Service) 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 Sylvia Rivera Historical Events Black Cat Raid, Los Angeles, California, 1967 Black Night Brawl, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, August 5, 1961 Compton's Cafeteria Raid, San Francisco, 1966 Coopers Do-Nut Raid, Los Angeles 1959 Pepper Hill Club Raid, Baltimore, Maryland in 1955. In 2019, the head of New York's Police Department apologised for their actions, saying, "the actions taken by the NYPD were wrong". Birth Date: 24 Aug 1945. During a tempestuous Christian childhood, around the age of five, Johnson began to dress as a girl. Though she never saw it, Marsha would have approved of the fact that the Village AIDS Memorial remembered so many AIDS victims by name. I will also note that I didnt look into Marshas involvement in Stonewall during research for this episode, so I cant comment on how these sources deal with that. Initially ruled a suicide, her death has since been ruled a possible homicide. Women & the American Story: Marsha P. Johnson, Transgender Activist Watch on This video was created by the New-York Historical Society Teen Leaders in collaboration with the Untold project. 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. In addition to soup kitchens, the Church of Saint Veronica hosted gay Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and a food hall serving breakfast and lunch to over 40 AIDS patients at a time. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! And I said, Honey, I don't care if I never have nothing ever till the day I die. Free to Use and Reuse Sets - Batches of primary sources on engaging topics. She went from her own party uptown to the Stonewall Inn on the corner of Christopher Street and 7th Avenue, arriving after the Stonewall Riot (Uprising) had begun. [43] In 1992, gay bashing was epidemic in New York. Marshas death sits within the wider context of transphobic violence Death Date: Jul 1992. 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. In 1946 he published Self: A Study in Ethics and Endocrinology which 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. [Image: This 2012 article is about the reopening of the investigation into Marshas death. Marsha P. Johnson ARCC He's like the spirit that follows me around, you know, and helps me out in my hour of need. Marsha P. Johnson. If Stonewall and the fight for gay rights was the primary activist cause of the first half of Marshas life, the AIDS pandemic defined the latter half of her life. Two years later on July 6, 1994, Johnson was found drowned in the Hudson River off the West Village Piers. In 1987, Johnson recalled arriving at around "2:00 [that morning]", that "the riots had already started" by that time and that the Stonewall building "was on fire" after police set it on fire. Marsha P. Johnson was born on August 24, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. In 1970 she cofounded with fellow transgender rights activist Sylvia Rivera the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR). Marsha resisted arrest, but in the following days, led a series of protests and riots demanding rights for gay people. Do you find this information helpful? That year we had 1,300 reports of bias crime. Marsha P. Johnson. [11] The riots reportedly started at around 1:20 that morning after Storm DeLarverie fought back against the police officer who attempted to arrest her that night. American drag queen and activist Marsha P. Johnson was dedicated to social justice for the gay and transgender communities. Upon returning, the medication would wear off over the course of one month and Johnson would then return to normal. Birth Place: Elizabeth, Union, New Jersey [Elizabeth, New Jersey]. [8] [9] Known as an outspoken advocate for gay rights, Johnson was one of the prominent figures in the Stonewall uprising of 1969. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Marsha's legacy lives on today in organisations such as the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, which says it "protects and defends the human rights of BLACK transgender people". She was a leader in the LGBTQ community helping their youth that were struggling with homelessness and discrimination and hate. Pay It No Mind - The Life and Times of Marsha P. Johnson - Thanks to the wisdom of Tony Nunziata, Jimmy Camicia, Richard Morrison, and Larry Show more Show more 55:56 Frameline Voices - Pay. 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. There Johnson began frequenting bars and nightclubs dressed as a female called Black Marsha. [44] This dual personality of Johnson's has been described as "a schizophrenic personality at work". Provo, UT, US: Ancestry.com". Johnson's friend Sasha McCaffrey added, "I would find her in the strangest churches. It includes information and quotes from interviews with Marsha not found elsewhere. [83], U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 19362007, Death, Burial, Cemetery & Obituaries: "Michaels, Malcolm Jr [Malcolm Mike Michaels Jr], [M Michae Jr], [Malculm Jr]. The NYPD further desecrated her memory when they pronounced her death a suicide, completely disregarding the evidence of foul play (i.e. Marsha P. Johnson was a woman before her time. Johnson. It was an "unrelenting wave of attacks. "Rapping With a Street Transvestite Revolutionary" in Out of the closets: voices of gay liberation. [61] When Wicker's lover, David, became terminally ill with AIDS, Johnson became his caregiver. ), alongside close friend Sylvia Rivera. Andy Warhol featured her in a 1975 screen print portfolio of drag queens and transgender merrymakers at the nightclub, Gilded Grape. Who Is Trans TikTok Influencer Dylan Mulvaney? Marsha P. Johnson | Legacy Project Chicago She was 46 at the time of her death. [5] Johnson waited tables after moving to Greenwich Village in 1966. Marsha P. Johnson was an African American drag performer and social activist. Johnson was born Malcolm Michaels, Jr., on August 24, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. [62] Johnson was one of the activists who had been drawing attention to this epidemic of violence against the community, participating in marches and other activism to demand justice for victims, and an inquiry into how to stop the violence. 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. - 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. The P purportedly stands for Pay It No Mind, a flippant saying she used to dismiss antagonists. [27], The definitions used by Rivera and Johnson were not always the same as those documented in the more mainstream literature of the era. [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. She adopted the name "Black Marsha" soon after and became a fixture in the Village, where she was instantly recognizable by her bold style, notably wearing flowers in her hair.
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