Privacy Policy It largely focusses on where Marsha's death sits within the wider context of transphobic violence across the USA. Happy birthday to drag queen and activist Marsha P Johnson, born 24 August 1945! A Netflix documentary was made about Marsha in 2017, The Stonewall Inn was the site of protesting and riots in June 1969, Watch Newsround - signed and subtitled. He's like the spirit that follows me around, you know, and helps me out in my hour of need. Born in 1945 in New Jersey, Marsha P. Johnson was an outspoken African American trans rights/gay rights/AIDS activist, sex worker, and drag queen during the late 20th century. Johnson and Rivera were key players in the 1969 New York riots, which historians say ignited the modern LGBTQ rights movement. - 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. [20] Johnson's mother reportedly said that being homosexual is like being "lower than a dog",[21] but Johnson said that Alberta was unaware of the LGBT community. Even though the Stonewall riots kick-started this wave of support for the LGBTQ+ community, there was still a lot of discrimination against them. She had nothing to lose. Johnson is often credited with throwing the first brick at Stonewall. Marsha "Pay it No Mind" Johnson moved to Greenwich Village in 1963 with a high school diploma and $15 to her name. Marsha was born Malcolm Michaels in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1945. . The police ruled her death a suicide, although friends and family cited a lack of evidence supporting that claim. Shed spend her meager earnings on meals for others and couldnt walk downtown without multiple people calling her name, wishing her well. The police initially declared her death a suicide and then agreed to reopen the case in 2012. Marsha was believed to be the person who threw the first piece of debris at the police and led several of the events that unfolded on the 3 days post-raid. All rights reserved. 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. Michaels' father, Malcolm Michaels Sr., was an assembly line worker at General Motors, while Michaels' mother, Alberta Claiborne, was a housekeeper. They just dropped her right on the floor. In 2015, The Marsha P. Johnson Institute was established. She was joyous and creative and enjoyed performing. Marsha picketing Bellevue Hospital to protest their treatment of queer people c.1970, holding a sign reading Power to the people. "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. They said nobody else had been responsible for the death. Marsha P. Johnson | National Women's History Museum Johnson designed all of her own costumes (mostly from thrift shops). Much like the recent Black Lives Matter marches in the United States, news of these protests spread around the world, inspiring others to join protests and rights groups to fight for equality. Douglas, c1972. across the USA. Gay people were regularly threatened and beaten by police, and were shunned by many in society. 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. Andy Warhol featured her in a 1975 screen print portfolio of drag queens and transgender merrymakers at the nightclub, Gilded Grape. She was identified as male at birth. Marsha P. Johnsons housemate Randy Wicker in Pay It No Mind. 20072023 Blackpast.org. [74], Shortly after the 1992 Gay pride parade, Johnson's body was discovered floating in the Hudson River. Marsha P. Johnson ARCC I also want to add that just because I referenced these sources doesnt mean I agree with everything they say. Marsha P. Johnson (1945-1992) - BlackPast.org In the 1980s Johnson became an AIDS activist and joined ACT UP, an organization formed to bring attention to the AIDS epidemic. That summer Saturday, their anger reached a breaking point after the police returned to Stonewall Inn for the second time in two days. To share with more than one person, separate addresses with a comma. [37][36] In 1990, Johnson performed with The Hot Peaches in London. She is credited for being an instigator in the Stonewall riots. 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. "[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. Watch It", "Here I am marching with Jon Jon and Miss Marsha one sunny Gay Day. They just dropped her. [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. 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. [14], Johnson was born Malcolm Michaels Jr. on August 24, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. After translating an article, all tools except font up/font down will be disabled. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. [23][24] After Johnson began hanging out with the street hustlers near the Howard Johnson's at 6th Avenue and 8th Street, their life changed. [38] Johnson, who was also HIV positive,[39] became an AIDS activist and appeared in The Hot Peaches production The Heat in 1990, singing the song "Love" while wearing an ACT UP, "Silence = Death" button. [5] As Edmund White writes in his 1979 Village Voice article, "The Politics of Drag", Johnson also liked dressing in ways that would display "the interstice between masculine and feminine". [45] Souza told the Gay Activists Alliance shortly afterwards that it "was the shot glass that was heard around the world". The same safe and trusted content for explorers of all ages. The two most extensive sources on Marsha are both documentaries: Pay It No Mind- Michael Kasinos 2012 documentary. 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 made intricate outfits out of garbage, modeled for Andy Warhol and wrote poetry. While working nights as a fire watcher at a Bristol garage during the Take a minute to check out all the enhancements! Initially ruled a suicide, her death has since been ruled a possible homicide. and AIDS, and gay and transgender rights. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e3-5fa8-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99. "[71] "I believe [Jesus is] the only man I can truly trust. "[15], Johnson first began wearing dresses at the age of five but stopped temporarily due to harassment by boys who lived nearby. She is wearing pearls and has her hair in an up-do decorated with flowers and feathers.]. Her life has been celebrated in numerous books, documentaries and films. 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. [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. Birth Year: 1945, Birth date: August 24, 1945, Birth State: New Jersey, Birth City: Elizabeth, Birth Country: United States. 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. This would be amongst the last activist causes in the life of a person whose voice changed the world. I also recommend this one in particular if youd like a very in-depth look at the claims and evidence involved. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson - David France's 2017 documentary. 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. [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]. There is power speaking the names of victims aloud. 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. Johnson moved to Greenwich Village in New York City after graduating from high school. Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries by Leslie Feinberg (2006). Marsha was assigned male at birth, but described herself as living life as a woman, and worked tirelessly to support her trans community. Homeless, she turned to prostitution to survive and soon found a like-minded community in the bawdy nightlife of Christopher Street. Module 5 Discussion - The topic I chose is the Stonewall Riot - Studocu 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. The P purportedly stands for Pay It No Mind, a flippant saying she used to dismiss antagonists. Together we did", "Exploding the Myths of Stonewall Gay City News", "Gay History Month- June 28,1969: The REAL History of the Stonewall Riots", "Marsha P Johnson Carols for Ma & Pa Xmas Presents", "Gay rights activists Sylvia Ray Rivera, Marsha P. Johnson, Barbara Deming, and Kady Vandeurs at City Hall rally for gay rights", "Marsha P. Johnson (19441992) Activist, Drag Mother. 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. 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". (2017). Supporting The Marsha P. Johnson Institute. When the officers attempted to perform an arrest, Johnson hit them with a handbag, which contained two bricks. Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries, Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Academy, same-sex marriage was illegal in the United States, "Marsha P. Johnson, a Transgender Pioneer and Activist The New York Times", "Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries", "Two Transgender Activists Are Getting a Monument in New York", "Making Gay History: Episode 11 Johnson & Wicker", "DA reopens unsolved 1992 case involving the 'saint of gay life', "The Death of Marsha P. Johnson and the Quest for Closure", A queer history of the United States for young people, "The inspiring life of activist and drag queen Marsha P. Johnson - A passionate advocate for gay rights, Marsha was an instrumental figure in the Stonewall uprising", "#LGBTQ: Doc Film, "The Death & Life of Marsha P. Johnson" Debuts At Tribeca Film Fest The WOW Report", "Feature Doc 'Pay It No Mind: The Life & Times of Marsha P. Johnson' Released Online. Johnson experienced a difficult childhood due to her Christian upbringing. 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. 'Cause you know, me and Jesus is always talking. This argued that an individual should have the final say over what medical The riot stemmed from members of New Yorks LGBTQ community being targeted by the New York Police Department (NYPD). Find out more about the riots that started the Pride movement. 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. Marsha resisted arrest, but in the following days, led a series of protests and riots demanding rights for gay people. Our episode on drag queen and activist Marsha P. Johnson is coming out tomorrow! PROTECT AND DEFEND THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF BLACK TRANS PEOPLE! 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. [22], After graduating from Edison High School (now the Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Academy) in Elizabeth in 1963, Johnson left home for New York City with $15 and a bag of clothes. Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson: Listen to the Newly Unearthed [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. [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. 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. After graduating from Thomas A. Edison High School in 1963, Johnson moved to New Yorks Greenwich Village. [11] On the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, the Stonewall uprising occurred. She engaged in cross-dressing behavior at an early age but was quickly reprimanded. Terms and Conditions "The Unsung Heroines of Stonewall" National Parks Conservation Association Blog, October 1, 2020. Provo, UT, US: Ancestry.com". 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. [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. All this- her devotions and her deeds- leads one to wonder if Marsha P. Johnson really was take your pick: a holy person, a saint, the patron saint of the LGBTQ Community, or the Jesus of Sheridan Square. 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. Marsha P. Johnson grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, with her mother. Marshas death sits within the wider context of transphobic violence This 2012 article is about the reopening of the investigation into Marshas death. [41], In 1992, George Segal's sculpture, Gay Liberation was moved to Christopher Park as part of the new Gay Liberation Monument. They also maintained the STAR House, a place of refuge for LGBTQ homeless youth. On June 28, 1969, Marsha P. Johnson became one of the faces of the Queer Revolution. Kohler tells a story of sunbathing at the Christopher Street Piers in the West Village when Johnson, naked, began grabbing at Kohler's shirt, shouting, "My father needs those clothes! "Marsha is the crowned mother of queer protest and LGBTQ resilience and resistance," said creator Yoav Wachs. She was 46 at the time of her death. 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. Over 162 people arrested. Copyright 2019 Marsha P. Johnson Institute. While she may not have started the riots, she was a major player in the LGBTQ rights movement and community during the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Select from a curated set Primary Source Sets - Each set collects primary sources on a specific frequently-taught topic, along with historical background information and teaching ideas.
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