and 18% of those were based on violence perpetrated by police." MPJI in the news - Marsha P. Johnson Institute Andy Warhol featured her in a 1975 screen print portfolio of drag queens and transgender merrymakers at the nightclub, Gilded Grape. 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.. After graduating from Thomas A. Edison High School in 1963, Johnson moved to New Yorks Greenwich Village. 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. Shes 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. 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. "[51][52], During another incident around this time Johnson was confronted by police officers for hustling in New York. [30] Johnson received leftover flowers after sleeping under tables used for sorting flowers in the Flower District of Manhattan, and was known for wearing crowns of fresh flowers. 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 & Sylvia Rivera - National Park Service She had nothing to lose. [6] Johnson was known as the "mayor of Christopher Street"[13] due to being a welcoming presence in the streets of Greenwich Village. [81], In December 2002, a police investigation resulted in reclassification of Johnson's cause of death from "suicide" to "undetermined". From the website: "The Marsha P. Johnson Institute (MPJI) protects and defends the human rights of BLACK transgender people. In June 2019, Johnson was one of the inaugural fifty American "pioneers, trailblazers, and heroes" inducted on the, On August 24, 2020, the 75th anniversary of Johnson's birth, the, This page was last edited on 22 April 2023, at 22:09. Twenty-five years later, Victoria Cruz, a crime victim advocate of the New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP) re-opened the case. To share with more than one person, separate addresses with a comma. All I want is my freedom. 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. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! 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. 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. [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. 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). 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 was identified as male at birth. Johnson was born Malcolm Michaels, Jr., on August 24, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. 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. Finally, she decided shed make her own fun and started checking out the local scene. 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. 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. "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. [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 was nicknamed the "Saint of Christopher Street" (where the Stonewall Inn is located), because of the generosity they had shown towards people in New York's LGBTQ+ community. Always sporting a smile, Johnson was an important advocate for homeless LGBTQ+ youth, those effected by H.I.V. 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. 2023 BBC. The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson - David France's 2017 documentary. [11] On the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, the Stonewall uprising occurred. Resources Johnson designed all of her own costumes (mostly from thrift shops). [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. She chose Johnson because she enjoyed hanging out at the popular eatery, Howard Johnsons. documentary follows the investigation of Marshas death by Puerto 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. Johnson moved to Greenwich Village in New York City after graduating from high school. Shed spend her meager earnings on meals for others and couldnt walk downtown without multiple people calling her name, wishing her well. Check out our podcast to learn more about the wonderful Marsha P. Johnson! 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! She is wearing pearls and has her hair in an up-do decorated with flowers and feathers, Michael Dillon in his merchant navy uniform. Much of Marsha's life was dedicated to helping others, despite suffering several mental health issues. Marsha P. Johnsons housemate Randy Wicker in Pay It No Mind. 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. Privacy Policy Death Date: Jul 1992. [Image: Marsha "Pay it No Mind" Johnson moved to Greenwich Village in 1963 with a high school diploma and $15 to her name. 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 is one of many Black Trans women that have left a powerful stamp on history. the hole in her head). Choosing a name is a rite of passage for many transgender people, and she tried on a few before settling on Marsha P. Johnson. 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. Considering the proximity that the Church of Saint Veronica has to the Stonewall Inn, its important to recognize that it was Trans, non-binary, and Queer People of Color who initiated and led the uprising that began on June 28, 1969, and that lasted throughout the following six days and nights, ultimately sparking the birth of the Gay Liberation Movement. 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. She was 46 at the time of her death. There Johnson began frequenting bars and nightclubs dressed as a female called Black Marsha. 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. On July 6, 1992, her body was found floating in New York Citys Hudson River. Johnson's friend Sasha McCaffrey added, "I would find her in the strangest churches. In 1970 she cofounded with fellow transgender rights activist Sylvia Rivera the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR). 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. Sadly, at the age of 46, on July 6, 1992, Johnsons body was found in the Hudson River off the West Village Piers. [45] The alleged "shot glass" incident has also been heavily disputed. 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. [39], In David France's documentary, The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson, Johnson is seen participating in a 1980s memorial service and action for those who've died of AIDS, along with members of the Gay Men's Health Crisis. [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. Johnson and Rivera acted as house mothers, guiding and protecting the young people. Community Standards There is power speaking the names of victims aloud. Marsha P. Johnson - Sources - Queer as Fact [35] In 1973, Johnson performed the role of "The Gypsy Queen" in the Angels' production, "The Enchanted Miracle", about the Comet Kohoutek. [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. But many friends argued this ruling at the time, saying attacks on gay and trans people were common. Upon returning, the medication would wear off over the course of one month and Johnson would then return to normal. The Unsung Heroines of Stonewall: Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera That same decade, he himself became the first trans man to undergo a phalloplasty. 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. In honour of their upcoming 50th anniversary, well be talking about the Stonewall Riots. We are very excited to be coming back from hiatus tomorrow just in time for Pride Month! Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. Marsha P. Johnson was an African American drag performer and social activist. "Marsha is the crowned mother of queer protest and LGBTQ resilience and resistance," said creator Yoav Wachs. Rican trans woman Victoria Cruz. [5] Johnson waited tables after moving to Greenwich Village in 1966. She worked both as a waitress and a sex worker. Johnson and Rivera were key players in the 1969 New York riots, which historians say ignited the modern LGBTQ rights movement. 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. Find out more about the riots that started the Pride movement. 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. The main articles which I used when reading up on this can be found here, here, and here. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Marsha P. Johnson grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, with her mother. Read about our approach to external linking. 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. Marsha P. Johnson ARCC 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. Marsha P. Johnson (Source: USA Today / Originally Netflix . [43] In 1992, gay bashing was epidemic in New York. Two years later on July 6, 1994, Johnson was found drowned in the Hudson River off the West Village Piers. treatment they underwent to affirm their gender identity. She made intricate outfits out of garbage, modeled for Andy Warhol and wrote poetry. On June 28, 1969, Marsha P. Johnson became one of the faces of the Queer Revolution. 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! Michael Dillon was born on the 1st of May in England in 1915. 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. 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. [61] When Wicker's lover, David, became terminally ill with AIDS, Johnson became his caregiver. (2017). Johnson was known for her immense generosity.
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