Johnson commented, "How many people have died for these two little statues to be put in the park to recognize gay people? STAR provided services including shelter (the first was a trailer truck) to homeless LGBTQ people in New York City, Chicago, California and England for a few years in the early 1970s but eventually disbanded. 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. This documentary follows the investigation of Marsha's death by Puerto Rican trans woman Victoria Cruz. 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. [55], By 1966, Johnson lived on the streets[2] and engaged in survival sex. It was like Oh my God. Please note: Text within images is not translated, some features may not work properly after translation, and the translation may not accurately convey the intended meaning. [31] Johnson was tall, slender and often dressed in flowing robes and shiny dresses, red plastic high heels and bright wigs, which tended to draw attention. [81], In December 2002, a police investigation resulted in reclassification of Johnson's cause of death from "suicide" to "undetermined". David Carter conducted many of his own interviews for this book. In 2015, The Marsha P. Johnson Institute was established. "[73], Near the time of Johnson's death in 1992, Randy Wicker said Johnson was increasingly sick and in a fragile state. She was joyous and creative and enjoyed performing. It is reproduced with permission. Video, County Antrim pupils record special coronation hymn. 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. 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. Who would have thought that her body would be found in the Hudson River with a hole in her head on July 6, 1992. Free to Use and Reuse Sets - Batches of primary sources on engaging topics. "[15], In Pay it No Mind friends Bob Kohler and Agosto Machado talk about Johnson's relationship with Neptune. [47] However, many have corroborated that on the second night, Johnson climbed up a lamppost and dropped a bag with a brick in it down on a police car, shattering the windshield. Choosing a name is a rite of passage for many transgender people, and she tried on a few before settling on Marsha P. Johnson. Much of Marsha's life was dedicated to helping others, despite suffering several mental health issues. She worked both as a waitress and a sex worker. "The Unsung Heroines of Stonewall" National Parks Conservation Association Blog, October 1, 2020. "[15], Johnson first began wearing dresses at the age of five but stopped temporarily due to harassment by boys who lived nearby. Key moments of black history in the United States, Watch Newsround - signed and subtitled. [5] Johnson spoke of first having a mental breakdown in 1970. Marsha was born Malcolm Michaels in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1945. . Check out our podcast to learn more about Marsha! 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. Best Known For: Marsha P. Johnson was an African American transgender woman and revolutionary LGBTQ rights activist. Read about our approach to external linking. Johnson also took part in Gay Pride parades and events. "[71] "I believe [Jesus is] the only man I can truly trust. [43] In 1992, gay bashing was epidemic in New York. 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. 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. "[72] Johnson succeeded in pulling Kohler's shirt off and throwing it into the Hudson River. Marsha was devoutly spiritual, confessing: I practice the Catholic religion because the Catholic religion is part of the sangria (blood) of the saints, which says that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ.. [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'". She was a Catholic with a strong sense of faith. For anyone wanting to learn more about drag queen and activist Marsha P. Johnson, this entire documentary is available for free on Youtube! While working nights as a fire watcher at a Bristol garage during the 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. Almost a year to the day before her untimely and tragic death, Marsha P. Johnson marched down Christopher Street in a parade headed towards the first interfaith AIDS memorial service in history at the Church of Saint Veronica. A new, third level of content, designed specially to meet the advanced needs of the sophisticated scholar. Newsletter Subscription Marsha P. Johnson (Source: USA Today / Originally Netflix . "[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. 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. This documentary uses 1992 interview footage taken with Marsha just weeks before her death, as well as a lot of footage of people who knew her talking about her. And I said, Honey, I don't care if I never have nothing ever till the day I die. [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. 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. In New York, Marsha struggled to make ends meet. 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. By continuing to use this site, you consent to the terms of our cookie policy, which can be found in our. "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. She was tragically found dead on July 6, 1992 at the age of 46. How many years [does it take] for people to realize we are all brothers and sisters and human beings in the human race.. Above, we see Marsha standing in front of a Pride Week soup kitchen put on by the Church of Saint Veronica, apparently benefitting from these types of essential services offered at this unique Roman Catholic Church, which ministered to the vulnerable LGBTQ community. [59] According to Bob Kohler, Johnson would walk naked up Christopher Street and be taken away for two or three months to be treated with chlorpromazine, an antipsychotic medication. Have students read the statement silently or out loud as a class. Marsha said the "P" stood for "Pay it no mind" - a phrase they used when people commented negatively on their appearance or life choices. [60], Between 1980 and Johnson's death in 1992, Johnson lived with a friend, Randy Wicker, who had invited Johnson to stay the night one time when it was "very cold outabout 10 degrees [Fahrenheit]" (12C), and Marsha had just never left. When she got to Stonewall, she encountered shouting, fire and chaos. Best Known For: Marsha P. Johnson was an African American transgender woman and revolutionary LGBTQ rights activist. She waited and waited, but no one showed up. [45] The alleged "shot glass" incident has also been heavily disputed. Sadly, at the age of 46, on July 6, 1992, Johnsons body was found in the Hudson River off the West Village Piers. PROTECT AND DEFEND THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF BLACK TRANS PEOPLE! 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. [61] When Wicker's lover, David, became terminally ill with AIDS, Johnson became his caregiver. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. [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. 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. Accessible across all of today's devices: phones, tablets, and desktops. (1945-92). In 2020 New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that a 7-acre (3-hectare) waterfront park in the New York City borough of Brooklyn was being renamed for Johnson. AGender Variance Whos Who provides a short biography of Marsha, as well as a list of further readings, and links to a video of a panel discussion with several people who knew Marsha. Choose a language from the menu above to view a computer-translated version of this page. "[65], Johnson would also make offerings to the saints and spirits in a more personal manner, keeping a private altar at home when possible. positive since 1990. It includes information and quotes from interviews with Marsha not found elsewhere. documentary follows the investigation of Marshas death by Puerto Marsha P. Johnson (Left) and Sylvia Rivera (Right), Gay Pride Parade, New York City, 1973. At this time, being gay was classified as a mental illness in the United States. Michaels' father, Malcolm Michaels Sr., was an assembly line worker at General Motors, while Michaels' mother, Alberta Claiborne, was a housekeeper. "[68] In the summer of 1991, Johnson participated in the interfaith AIDS memorial service at the Church of Saint Veronica in Greenwich Village. She's said that the town had zero tolerance for LGBTQ people and as a woman assigned male at birth, she left as soon as she could. [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. [11] On the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, the Stonewall uprising occurred. This page also includes a transcript and a lot of links to further resources about Marsha and Randy. [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. During a tempestuous Christian childhood, around the age of five, Johnson began to dress as a girl. Johnson switched names repeatedly as she established her persona, alternating between her given name Malcolm and Black Marsha before settling on Marsha P. Johnson. We do this by organizing, advocating, creating an intentional community to heal, developing transformative leadership, and promoting our collective power. She had $15 and a bag of clothes. Johnson said she wasnt afraid of being arrested because shed spent the last 10 years going to jail simply for wearing makeup on 42nd street. Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again (2018). Astrological Sign: Virgo, Death Year: 1992, Death date: July 6, 1992, Death State: New York, Death City: New York City, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Marsha P. Johnson Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/activists/marsha-p-johnson, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: September 9, 2022, Original Published Date: December 14, 2017. She is credited for being an instigator in the Stonewall riots. Several documentaries have been made celebrating Johnsons life and activism. Andy Warhol featured her in a 1975 screen print portfolio of drag queens and transgender merrymakers at the nightclub, Gilded Grape. Its about an hour long and includes plenty of interview footage with Marsha herself - recorded in 1992, just weeks before her death - as well as with people who knew her. Sources:Goodin, Cal. 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. Database on-line. She suffered from mental illness, weathering breakdowns, arrests, and stints at psychiatric hospitals even as she strove to promote gay civil rights. Death Date: Jul 1992. 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. 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. Johnson subsequently joined the Gay Liberation Front, which was a catalyst for the gay rights movement. 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. Notes:[1] Marsha's body was recovered from the Hudson River. [27], The definitions used by Rivera and Johnson were not always the same as those documented in the more mainstream literature of the era. 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. The riot stemmed from members of New Yorks LGBTQ community being targeted by the New York Police Department (NYPD). "[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. Happy birthday to Marsha P. Johnson, born 24 August 1945! All Rights Reserved. Rican trans woman Victoria Cruz. Johnson began going to the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in the Greenwich Village section of New York City, in the late 1960s. These stats were sourced hereand here. This would be amongst the last activist causes in the life of a person whose voice changed the world. I also want to add that just because I referenced these sources doesnt mean I agree with everything they say. "[62] In response, marches were organized, and Johnson was one of the activists who marched in the streets, demanding justice. They said nobody else had been responsible for the death. 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!). 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". the hole in her head). They also maintained the STAR House, a place of refuge for LGBTQ homeless youth. Johnson's friend Sasha McCaffrey added, "I would find her in the strangest churches. She was seen dropping a very heavy object on top of a police car, among other actions. She announced in a June 26, 1992 interview that she had been H.I.V. All I want is my freedom. 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. The two worked for gay and transgender rights while also providing housing for LGBTQ youth living on the streets. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 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. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. Activists Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera were on the front lines of the fight for trans rights from as early as the 1960s when the movement was just beginning to gain traction. Its mission is to defend and protect the human rights of transgender and gender nonconforming communities. 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. She had nothing to lose. Johnson worked to provide food, clothing, emotional support and a sense of family for the young drag queens, trans women, gender nonconformists and other gay street kids living on the Christopher Street docks or in their house on the Lower East Side of New York. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. We do this by organizing, advocating, creating an intentional community to heal, developing transformative leadership, and promoting our collective power." The Marsha P. Johnson Institute is dedicated to supporting Black Trans communities. But many friends argued this ruling at the time, saying attacks on gay and trans people were common. 20072023 Blackpast.org. Always sporting a smile, Johnson was an important advocate for homeless LGBTQ+ youth, those effected by H.I.V. 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. . [13] Other locals stated later that law enforcement was not interested in investigating Johnson's death, stating that the case was about a "gay black man" and wanting little to do with it at the time. The Marsha P. Johnson Institute (MPJI) protects and defends the human rights of BLACK transgender people. 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. [50][6] During a gay rights rally at New York City Hall in the early '70s, photographed by Diana Davies, a reporter asked Johnson why the group was demonstrating, Johnson shouted into the microphone, "Darling, I want my gay rights now! [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. Johnson was known for her immense generosity. Find out more about the riots that started the Pride movement. Johnson is often credited with throwing the first stone after. The two most extensive sources on Marsha are both documentaries: Pay It No Mind- Michael Kasinos 2012 documentary. 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. She didn't leave a note. By 1966, she was waiting tables, engaging in sex work, and living on the streets of the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan. Marsha went missing in 1992 and six days later police found Marsha's body. 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. Even though the Stonewall riots kick-started this wave of support for the LGBTQ+ community, there was still a lot of discrimination against them. [45], Following the Stonewall uprising, Johnson joined the Gay Liberation Front and was active in the GLF Drag Queen Caucus. [80] Randy Wicker later said that Johnson may have hallucinated and walked into the river, or may have jumped into the river to escape harassers, but stated that Johnson was never suicidal. [45] When this happened, Johnson would often get in fights and wind up hospitalized and sedated, and friends would have to organize and raise money to bail Johnson out of jail or try to secure release from places like Bellevue. 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. The Uprising spawned the first gay pride marches across the country in 1970. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Copyright 2019 Marsha P. Johnson Institute. 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. It is important to recognize and celebrate their contributions because People of Color are actively being erased from the historical narrative, and the story of Stonewall is the perfect example: A few years ago, a major studio motion picture with a wide theatrical release received damming accusations of White-washing history, putting at the center of the narrative a young, masculine-presenting, White male and even depicting him as throwing the first brick that began the conflict. [55] While the House was not focused on performance, Johnson was a "drag mother" of STAR House, in the longstanding tradition of "Houses" as chosen family in the Black and Latino LGBT community. 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. Michael Dillon was born on the 1st of May in England in 1915. I also mentioned some statistics on the current realities of violence and homelessness for trans people in the USA today, especially trans women of colour. 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. 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. "Rapping With a Street Transvestite Revolutionary" in Out of the closets: voices of gay liberation. That night, she had invited a bunch of her friends, including Rivera, to a party. Johnson would go on to create a trans rights group with Sylvia Rivera called Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR). Some books which include general information on Marsha are: Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution by David Carter (2010).
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