Marsha was assigned male at birth, but described herself as living life as a woman, and worked tirelessly to support her trans community. [69] When asked about religion in the last interview, Johnson said "I use Jesus Christ the most in my prayers, most of the time." 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. Marsha P. Johnson (Left) and Sylvia Rivera (Right), Gay Pride Parade, New York City, 1973. Twenty-five years later, Victoria Cruz, a crime victim advocate of the New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP) re-opened the case. The police forced over 200 people out of the bar and onto the streets, and then used excessive violence against them. . In 2015, The Marsha P. Johnson Institute was established. 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. Resources [6] Johnson was known as the "mayor of Christopher Street"[13] due to being a welcoming presence in the streets of Greenwich Village. The Uprising spawned the first gay pride marches across the country in 1970. It includes an interview with Marsha, which was the source of her definitions of drag queen, transvestite, and transsexual, which I quote in our podcast. Video, County Antrim pupils record special coronation hymn. The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson - David Frances 2017 documentary. We were young enough to believe we could change the world. The + is an inclusive symbol to mean 'and others' to include people of all identities. Johnson commented, "How many people have died for these two little statues to be put in the park to recognize gay people? "[72] Johnson succeeded in pulling Kohler's shirt off and throwing it into the Hudson River. And I said, Honey, I don't care if I never have nothing ever till the day I die. She graduated high school at 17, then fled to New York City, where she could finally start dressing how she wanted. He's like the spirit that follows me around, you know, and helps me out in my hour of need. 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. This was the source of my direct quotes from Randy. "[15], In Pay it No Mind friends Bob Kohler and Agosto Machado talk about Johnson's relationship with Neptune. Database on-line. Best Known For: Marsha P. Johnson was an African American transgender woman and revolutionary LGBTQ rights activist. Johnson designed all of her own costumes (mostly from thrift shops). [12] Johnson was also a popular figure in New York City's gay and art scene, modeling for Andy Warhol, and performing onstage with the drag performance troupe Hot Peaches. In 2012 the police, under renewed public pressure, reopened the case. The two most extensive sources on Marsha are both documentaries: Pay It No Mind- Michael Kasinos 2012 documentary. That night, she had invited a bunch of her friends, including Rivera, to a party. 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. He began wearing girls clothing at a young age, but, after neighborhood children bullied him, he stopped. They just dropped her right on the floor. This 2012 article is about the reopening of the investigation into Marshas death. Were very excited and we cant wait to share this with you! 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". 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. "[65], Johnson would also make offerings to the saints and spirits in a more personal manner, keeping a private altar at home when possible. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Johnson's friend Sasha McCaffrey added, "I would find her in the strangest churches. 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 June 1969, when Marsha was 23 years old, police raided a gay bar in New York called The Stonewall Inn. The NYPD further desecrated her memory when they pronounced her death a suicide, completely disregarding the evidence of foul play (i.e. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. "[14] In November 2012, activist Mariah Lopez succeeded in getting the New York police department to reopen the case as a possible homicide. Marsha was a founder of STAR - the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries - which provided food, housing, legal aid, and other necessities to homeless trans youth. Gender: Male. Much of Marsha's life was dedicated to helping others, despite suffering several mental health issues. Johnson began going to the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in the Greenwich Village section of New York City, in the late 1960s. 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 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. 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. [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! (1945-92). She worked both as a waitress and a sex worker. 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. Johnson and Rivera were key players in the 1969 New York riots, which historians say ignited the modern LGBTQ rights movement. Johnson subsequently joined the Gay Liberation Front, which was a catalyst for the gay rights movement. Johnson was known for her immense generosity. The Gay Liberation Youth Movement in New York: An Army of Lovers Cannot Fail by Stephen Cohen (2007). Marshas death sits within the wider context of transphobic violence When she got to Stonewall, she encountered shouting, fire and chaos. [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. This [40], While the photos of Johnson in dramatic, femme ensembles are the most well-known, there are also photos and film footage of Johnson dressed down in more daily wear of jeans and a flannel shirt and cap,[41] or in shorts and a tank top, and no wig, such as at the Christopher Street Liberation March in 1979,[42] or singing with the New York City Gay Men's Chorus at an AIDS memorial in the 1980s,[43] or marching in a protest in Greenwich Village in 1992. Some felt that it was more common for this to happen under Johnson's "male persona as Malcolm". Birth Place: Elizabeth, Union, New Jersey [Elizabeth, New Jersey]. [45], Johnson has been named, along with Zazu Nova and Jackie Hormona,[46] by a number of the Stonewall veterans interviewed by David Carter in his book, Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution, as being "three individuals known to have been in the vanguard" of the pushback against the police at the uprising. During that same interview conducted 11 days before her death, we get evidence that Marsha would have also liked that the Village AIDS Memorial was inside the sanctuary of a Roman Catholic Church. And we were all like, Oh my God! They just dropped her. Supporting The Marsha P. Johnson Institute. Others said they saw Marsha being harassed by a group of "thugs" a few days before they died. Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone. 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. [1] Her work continues today through the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, which fights for the rights of Black transgender people. [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. 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. "Rapping With a Street Transvestite Revolutionary" in Out of the closets: voices of gay liberation. and AIDS, and gay and transgender rights. [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. In New York, Marsha struggled to make ends meet. I also want to add that just because I referenced these sources doesnt mean I agree with everything they say. "I want people to stand beneath the halo and know that they can be like her. In 1972, as the face of the resistance, Johnson performed around the world with the popular drag theater company, Hot Peaches. 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. 20072023 Blackpast.org. VideoCounty Antrim pupils record special coronation hymn. Marsha P. Johnson grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, with her mother. While I recommend some of these sources for the information they contain, I dont condone this decision. 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. The Village AIDS Memorial, on the other hand, attempts to reach a higher ideal, and with names of actual New Yorkers who died, theres no denying the diversity of the LGBTQ community is represented with this memorial. Its mission is to defend and protect the human rights of transgender and gender nonconforming communities. [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". [45], Following the Stonewall uprising, Johnson joined the Gay Liberation Front and was active in the GLF Drag Queen Caucus. 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. The two of them became a visible presence at gay liberation marches and other radical political actions. 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. After translating an article, all tools except font up/font down will be disabled. [13] Prior to Carter's book, it was claimed Johnson had "thrown a brick" at a police officer, an account that was never verified. When asked by the judge for an explanation for hustling, Johnson claimed to be trying to secure enough money for a tombstone for Johnson's husband. Andy Warhol featured her in a 1975 screen print portfolio of drag queens and transgender merrymakers at the nightclub, Gilded Grape. We can be as active and resilient as Marsha P. Johnson because our fights are far from over." Key moments of black history in the United States, Watch Newsround - signed and subtitled. "[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. She has since become a prominent face for the Queer Revolution. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Afeni Shakur. Always sporting a smile, Johnson was an important advocate for homeless LGBTQ+ youth, those effected by H.I.V. [75][76] According to Wicker, a witness saw a neighborhood resident fighting with Johnson on July 4, 1992. Johnson. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. We are very excited to be coming back from hiatus tomorrow just in time for Pride Month! 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. [36] In 1975, Johnson was photographed by famed artist Andy Warhol, as part of a "Ladies and Gentlemen" series of Polaroids. Newsletter Subscription [13], Former New York politician Tom Duane fought to reopen the case, because "Usually when there is a death by suicide the person usually leaves a note. 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. It largely focusses on where On the second night, however, several eyewitness accounts had her climbing up a light post with a brick in her purse which she promptly let drop on a police squad car below, shattering the window. Marsha P. Johnson (Source: USA Today / Originally Netflix . [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. Several documentaries have been made celebrating Johnsons life and activism. MPJI supports artists and . 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! By 1966, she was waiting tables, engaging in sex work, and living on the streets of the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan. Johnson also took part in Gay Pride parades and events. It is reproduced with permission. In 1970 she cofounded with fellow transgender rights activist Sylvia Rivera the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR). Marsha P. Johnson. It was like Oh my God. However . After graduating from Thomas A. Edison High School in 1963, Johnson moved to New Yorks Greenwich Village. They reclassified her death as drowning from undetermined causes, but the case remained unsolved. [5] Johnson waited tables after moving to Greenwich Village in 1966. [45][37] Johnson denied starting the uprising. 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. 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". [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. argued that an individual should have the final say over what medical During a tempestuous Christian childhood, around the age of five, Johnson began to dress as a girl. About Press 2021 Impact Report Donate Subscribe to our Newsletter Resources/ Organization This website uses cookies to improve your experience. 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. 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. Read about our approach to external linking. This article is about the foundation of STAR, and includes quotes from an interview Feinberg conducted in 1998 with Sylvia Rivera. Upon returning, the medication would wear off over the course of one month and Johnson would then return to normal. 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. There Johnson began frequenting bars and nightclubs dressed as a female called Black Marsha. 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. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. [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'". Theres also a lot of material written by Sylvia Rivera, including about her relationship with Marsha and their work with STAR. [53] Initially sentenced to 90 days in prison for the assault, Johnson's lawyer eventually convinced the judge that Bellevue Hospital would be more suitable. Her desire for traditional feminine clothing quickly drew a reprimand from her father, a General Motors assembly line worker and housekeeper mother, as well as from the larger society. Check out our podcast to learn more about Marsha! "[51][52], During another incident around this time Johnson was confronted by police officers for hustling in New York. 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. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. 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. "[68] In the summer of 1991, Johnson participated in the interfaith AIDS memorial service at the Church of Saint Veronica in Greenwich Village. This documentary follows the investigation of Marsha's death by Puerto Rican trans woman Victoria Cruz. Twenty years later, in 2012, campaigner Mariah Lopez was successful in getting the New York police department to reopen Marsha's case as a possible murder. Pride: What is it and why do people celebrate it? 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. Search the online collections Top Photo Credits: Photograph of Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera by Rudy Grillo, c . She announced in a June 26, 1992 interview that she had been H.I.V. She is wearing pearls and has her hair in an up-do decorated with flowers and feathers.]. [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. "[77] This added to the suspicions of foul play and possible murder. 1945-1992 The fifth of seven children, Marsha was born Malcolm Michaels Jr. to Malcolm Michaels Sr. and Alberta (Claiborne) Michaels on August 24, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. To re-enable the tools or to convert back to English, click "view original" on the Google Translate toolbar. June is Pride Month, where people all over the world come together to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and raise awareness for inequalities that still stand today. across the USA. Read about our approach to external linking. She engaged in cross-dressing behavior at an early age but was quickly reprimanded. The two worked for gay and transgender rights while also providing housing for LGBTQ youth living on the streets. VideoWatch Newsround - signed and subtitled, Wildflowers fit for a king: Special seeds for schools to mark coronation, County Antrim pupils record special coronation hymn. American drag queen and activist Marsha P. Johnson was dedicated to social justice for the gay and transgender communities. [20][45], Johnson was one of the first drag queens to go to the Stonewall Inn, after they began allowing women and drag queens inside; it was previously a bar for only gay men. As an African American trans woman, Johnson has consistently been overlooked both as a participant in the Stonewall uprising and more generally, LGBTQ activism. "I was no one, nobody, from Nowheresville until I became a drag queen. [6] Their response was to march defiantly ahead of the parade. Rivera, Sylvia, "Transvestites: Your Half Sisters and Half Brothers of the Revolution" in, Shepard, Benjamin Heim and Ronald Hayduk (2002). Marsha and good friend Sylvia Rivera, who was also an activist , founded STAR - Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries - an organisation to support gay and trans individuals who had been left homeless.