[41], Though generally regarded as "generous and warmhearted" and "saintly" under the Marsha persona, Johnson's angry, violent side could sometimes emerge when Johnson was depressed or under severe stress. [74], Shortly after the 1992 Gay pride parade, Johnson's body was discovered floating in the Hudson River. 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. Johnson and Rivera were key players in the 1969 New York riots, which historians say ignited the modern LGBTQ rights movement. The riot stemmed from members of New Yorks LGBTQ community being targeted by the New York Police Department (NYPD). But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. A new, third level of content, designed specially to meet the advanced needs of the sophisticated scholar. She was a pioneer of the gay rights movement in the late 1960s and spent the following two decades advocating for equal . The police ruled her death a suicide, although friends and family cited a lack of evidence supporting that claim. That's what made me in New York, that's what made me in New Jersey, that's what made me in the world." Take a minute to check out all the enhancements! Key moments of black history in the United States, Watch Newsround - signed and subtitled. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. 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. It does provide some information about Marshas early life not found elsewhere. During a tempestuous Christian childhood, around the age of five, Johnson began to dress as a girl. By continuing to use this site, you consent to the terms of our cookie policy, which can be found in our. [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. [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. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Marsha P. Johnson was a well-known face in New York Citys Greenwich Village, where she lived on the street for many years. Then ask: In 1972, as the face of the resistance, Johnson performed around the world with the popular drag theater company, Hot Peaches. 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. Thats how legendary Stonewall leader Marsha P. Johnson came to be known in Greenwich Village due to her benevolence, kindness and generosity. This would be amongst the last activist causes in the life of a person whose voice changed the world. Michaels' father, Malcolm Michaels Sr., was an assembly line worker at General Motors, while Michaels' mother, Alberta Claiborne, was a housekeeper. The police forced over 200 people out of the bar and onto the streets, and then used excessive violence against them. [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. It was an "unrelenting wave of attacks. 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. "[15], In Pay it No Mind friends Bob Kohler and Agosto Machado talk about Johnson's relationship with Neptune. 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. We intend to reclaim our relationship as BLACK trans people to our movement legacy. Queer history podcast covering content from around the world and throughout time. 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. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. [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. She made intricate outfits out of garbage, modeled for Andy Warhol and wrote poetry. 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. She is wearing pearls and has her hair in an up-do decorated with flowers and feathers.]. [45] In the 1979 Village Voice article, "The Drag of Politics", by Steven Watson, and further elaborated upon by Stonewall historian Carter, it had perhaps been for this reason that other activists had been reluctant at first to credit Johnson for helping to spark the gay liberation movement of the early 1970s. This profile is part of anarticlewritten by Cal Goodin for the National Parks Conservation Association. In the same year, Johnson and Rivera founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), which clothed, fed, housed, and advocated for transgender youth from a tenement on the lower eastside. "These were sacrifices to her father, and to Neptune, who got all mixed up together," explains Kohler. We're not around right now. We are very excited to be coming back from hiatus tomorrow just in time for Pride Month! Sources:Goodin, Cal. For anyone wanting to learn more about drag queen and activist Marsha P. Johnson, this entire documentary is available for free on Youtube! Johnson began going to the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in the Greenwich Village section of New York City, in the late 1960s. A feature photo of Johnson in this article shows Johnson in a flowing wig and makeup, and a translucent shirt, pants and parka highlighting the ways that, quoting Kate Millett's Sexual Politics, White says, "she is both masculine and feminine at once. [41], In 1992, George Segal's sculpture, Gay Liberation was moved to Christopher Park as part of the new Gay Liberation Monument. [75][76], Johnson's suspicious death occurred during a time when anti-LGBT violence was at a peak in New York City, including bias crime by police. [45] Carter, however, concluded that Robinson had given several different accounts of the night and in none of the accounts was Johnson's name brought up, possibly in fear that if he publicly credited the uprising to Johnson, then Johnson's well-known mental state and gender nonconforming, "could have been used effectively by the movement's opponents". 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. [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. "[71] "I believe [Jesus is] the only man I can truly trust. [6] In 1973, Johnson and Rivera were banned from participating in the gay pride parade by the gay and lesbian committee who were administering the event stating they "weren't gonna allow drag queens" at their marches claiming they were "giving them a bad name". Marcus Mayer, one of the first people who noticed her corpse floating near the Christopher Street Pier, would go on the record to describe the horror they felt with the way the New York Police Department treated her remains: It was very nasty because the way they pulled her out. Contact Us [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. [6][10][11] Though some have mistakenly credited Johnson for starting the riots, Johnson was always forthcoming about having not been present when the riots began. Marsha P. Johnson. [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. An eccentric woman known for her outlandish hats and glamorous jewelry, she was fearless and bold. She also began to perform as a drag queen initially going by the name "Black Marsha . On May 30, 2019, it was announced that Johnson and Sylvia Rivera would be honored with monuments at Greenwich Village, near the site of the Stonewall club. [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". Civic Engagement and Primary Sources Through Key Moments in History. [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. [55], By 1966, Johnson lived on the streets[2] and engaged in survival sex. Even though the Stonewall riots kick-started this wave of support for the LGBTQ+ community, there was still a lot of discrimination against them. 'Cause you know, me and Jesus is always talking. [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. 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. Community Standards ", "Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries found STAR House | Global Network of Sex Work Projects", "Marsha P. Johnson The Village AIDS Memorial", "Meet the Transgender Activist Fighting to Keep Marsha P. Johnson's Legacy Alive", Blacklips Performance Cult Chronology of Plays, "LGBT History Month Icon Of The Day: Marsha P. Johnson", "Mural of Marsha P Johnson and Sylvia Rivera vandalised with moustaches", "Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera Monuments Are Coming to NYC", "New York City to Honor Revolutionary Trans Activist Marsha P. Johnson With Monument", "Homo Riot, Suriani, The Dusty Rebel "Pay It No Mind", "National LGBTQ Wall of Honor unveiled at Stonewall Inn", "National LGBTQ Wall of Honor to be unveiled at historic Stonewall Inn", "Groups seek names for Stonewall 50 honor wall", "Marsha P. Johnson, late LGBTQ activist, to get monument in N.J. hometown", "Over 75,000 sign petition to have Marsha P. Johnson statue replace Columbus monument", "Mural honoring prominent New Jersey transgender rights activist vandalized in Elizabeth", "Mural of Marsha P. Johnson in NJ Vandalized During Pride", "Campaign underway to restore vandalized mural of transgender pioneer Marsha P. Johnson", "New York governor dedicates state park in memory of LGBTQ activist Marsha P. Johnson", "Brooklyn's East River State Park renamed in honor of late LGBTQ activist and trans icon Marsha P. Johnson", "Marsha P. Johnson Park to get new 'ornamental gateway' to cap off renovations, honor park's namesake", "Brooklyn's Marsha P. Johnson Park to get new 'ornamental' entrance", "Marsha P. Johnson: A transgender pioneer and activist who was a fixture of Greenwich Village street life", Photographs of Marsha P. Johnson by Diana Davies, Sylvia Rivera Reflects on the Spirit of Marsha P Johnson, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marsha_P._Johnson&oldid=1151258878, Johnson appears as a character in two fictional film dramas that are based on real events, including, A large, painted mural depicting Johnson and. [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. To learn more about Marsha, check out our podcast! She'd be wearing velvet and throwing glitter. "[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. [45] The alleged "shot glass" incident has also been heavily disputed. In a 1992 interview, Johnson described being the young victim of rape by a thirteen-year-old boy. Race: Black. [5] Johnson waited tables after moving to Greenwich Village in 1966. As an African American trans woman, Johnson has consistently been overlooked both as a participant in the Stonewall uprising and more generally, LGBTQ activism. 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. 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. 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. 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. Johnson switched names repeatedly as she established her persona, alternating between her given name Malcolm and Black Marsha before settling on Marsha P. Johnson. Marsha resisted arrest, but in the following days, led a series of protests and riots demanding rights for gay people. We were young enough to believe we could change the world. Marsha is honored as a Stonewall instigator, a drag queen, an Andy Warhol model, an actress and a revolutionary trans activist. Video, County Antrim pupils record special coronation hymn. 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. Images of Marsha P. Johnson from Andy Warhols 1975 series Ladies and Gentlemen. 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. Michaels and their six siblings were raised in the Mount Teman African Methodist Episcopal Church. Database on-line. 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. In February 2020, the Mayor of New York renamed the East River State Park in Brooklyn, The Marsha P. Johnson State Park and announced there will be a statue created in honour of Marsha, to be unveiled in 2021. Choosing a name is a rite of passage for many transgender people, and she tried on a few before settling on Marsha P. Johnson. [45] Watson also reported that Johnson's saintly personality was "volatile" and listed a roster of gay bars from which Johnson had been banned. Michael Dillon was born on the 1st of May in England in 1915. (1945-92). Douglas, c1972. 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. The police ruled she had committed suicide despite claims from her friends and other members of the local community that she was not suicidal. American drag queen and activist Marsha P. Johnson was dedicated to social justice for the gay and transgender communities. We do this by organizing, advocating, creating an intentional community to heal, developing transformative leadership, and promoting our collective power. "[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. The Uprising spawned the first gay pride marches across the country in 1970. 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. 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. 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. Happy birthday to drag queen and activist Marsha P Johnson, born 24 August 1945! She was a leader in the LGBTQ community helping their youth that were struggling with homelessness and discrimination and hate. Find out more about the riots that started the Pride movement. 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. [41] Johnson had been speaking out against the "dirty cops" and elements of organized crime that many believed responsible for some of these assaults and murders, and had even voiced the concern that some of what Randy Wicker was stirring up, and pulling Johnson into, "could get you murdered. 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. (A drag queen is a man who dresses as a woman to entertain others.) We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. 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. [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. [45] Souza told the Gay Activists Alliance shortly afterwards that it "was the shot glass that was heard around the world". 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. These cookies do not store any personal information. 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. They just dropped her right on the floor. [75][76] According to Wicker, a witness saw a neighborhood resident fighting with Johnson on July 4, 1992. [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. Who would have thought that her body would be found in the Hudson River with a hole in her head on July 6, 1992. "[29] Johnson distinguishes this from transsexual, defining transsexuals as those who are on hormones and getting surgery. American drag queen and activist Marsha P. Johnson was dedicated to social justice for the gay and transgender communities. An early ACT UP member and AIDS activist, Johnson also became a victim of the disease. The P purportedly stands for Pay It No Mind, a flippant saying she used to dismiss antagonists. Provo, UT, US: Ancestry.com". 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. black-and-white photo of Marsha P Johnson. MPJI supports artists and . To re-enable the tools or to convert back to English, click "view original" on the Google Translate toolbar. [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. 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. [Image: One person you may have heard about in recent days is Marsha P. Johnson. "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 one of the demonstrators during the Stonewall riots in 1969, protesting against police harassment and social discrimination of gay and transgender individuals. It was incredibly useful in putting together our podcast on Marsha, and well worth a look. [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. Marsha P. Johnson grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, with her mother. [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! [45][37] Johnson denied starting the uprising. Best Known For: Marsha P. Johnson was an African American transgender woman and revolutionary LGBTQ rights activist. 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. The main articles which I used when reading up on this can be found here, here, and here. 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. (2017). Marsha was plopped on the pavement like a dead fish, as blood came out of her eyes and her mouth for hours before the coroners arrived, pedestrians stepping over the blood soaked pavement as they passed by her half-covered body. Pride: What is it and why do people celebrate it? The + is an inclusive symbol to mean 'and others' to include people of all identities. Search the online collections This article is about the foundation of STAR, and includes quotes from an interview Feinberg conducted in 1998 with Sylvia Rivera. [32] Johnson sang and performed as a member of J. Camicias' international, NYC-based, drag performance troupe, Hot Peaches, from 1972 through to shows in the 1990s. The NYPD further desecrated her memory when they pronounced her death a suicide, completely disregarding the evidence of foul play (i.e. 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. The two of them became a visible presence at gay liberation marches and other radical political actions. During a tempestuous Christian childhood, around the age of five, Johnson began to dress as a girl. [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. 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. 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. [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. Happy birthday to Marsha P. Johnson, born 24 August 1945! Marsha was assigned male at birth, but described herself as living life as a woman, and worked tirelessly to support her trans community. 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. 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. 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. [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 P. Johnson was born Malcolm Michaels, Jr. on August 24, 1945 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Though she never saw it, Marsha would have approved of the fact that the Village AIDS Memorial remembered so many AIDS victims by name. In June 1969, when Marsha was 23 years old, police raided a gay bar in New York called The Stonewall Inn. Marsha went missing in 1992 and six days later police found Marsha's body. If you want to know my source for a particular fact or quote, feel free to send us a message! Throughout her life Johnson suffered from mental illness and was in and out of psychiatric hospitals. She suffered from mental illness, weathering breakdowns, arrests, and stints at psychiatric hospitals even as she strove to promote gay civil rights. 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. It is reproduced with permission. They reclassified her death as drowning from undetermined causes, but the case remained unsolved. She engaged in cross-dressing behavior at an early age but was quickly reprimanded. To share with more than one person, separate addresses with a comma. 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. 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.

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