marsha p johnson primary source

That summer Saturday, their anger reached a breaking point after the police returned to Stonewall Inn for the second time in two days. According to Matt Foreman, former director of the Anti-Violence Project, "Anti-LGBT violence was at a peak. [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. [35] In 1973, Johnson performed the role of "The Gypsy Queen" in the Angels' production, "The Enchanted Miracle", about the Comet Kohoutek. 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. She waited and waited, but no one showed up. [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. Gender: Male. Tell students that the text displayed is a statement by directors Tourmaline and Sasha Wortzel on their short film Happy Birthday Marsha!, which depicts the life of trans activist Marsha P. Johnson in the hours prior to the Stonewall Rebellion. 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. At this time, being gay was classified as a mental illness in the United States. Marsha P. Johnson was born on August 24, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Marsha is one of many Black Trans women that have left a powerful stamp on history. In a 1992 interview, Johnson described being the young victim of rape by a thirteen-year-old boy. Marsha "Pay it No Mind" Johnson moved to Greenwich Village in 1963 with a high school diploma and $15 to her name. Best Known For: Marsha P. Johnson was an African American transgender woman and revolutionary LGBTQ rights activist. In New York, Marsha struggled to make ends meet. She engaged in cross-dressing behavior at an early age but was quickly reprimanded. Astrological. She is wearing pearls and has her hair in an up-do decorated with flowers and feathers.]. 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. [5] Johnson waited tables after moving to Greenwich Village in 1966. For a while she performed with the drag group Hot Peaches. Herself HIV positive (just like 44% of Black Trans people in the United States today), Marsha also notably nursed AIDS victims as they wasted away. [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. [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]. Death Date: Jul 1992. She was 46 at the time of her death. Find out more about the riots that started the Pride movement. Civic Engagement and Primary Sources Through Key Moments in History. [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. 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. Were very excited and we cant wait to share this with you! He's like the spirit that follows me around, you know, and helps me out in my hour of need. 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. Johnson would go on to create a trans rights group with Sylvia Rivera called Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR). [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. She chose Johnson because she enjoyed hanging out at the popular eatery, Howard Johnsons. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. She graduated high school at 17, then fled to New York City, where she could finally start dressing how she wanted. 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. Community Standards The Marsha P. Johnson Institute (MPJI) protects and defends the human rights of BLACK transgender people. 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. Initially ruled a suicide, her death has since been ruled a possible homicide. [58] In connection with sex work, Johnson claimed to have been arrested over 100 times, and was also shot once, in the late 1970s. [11] The riots reportedly started at around 1:20 that morning after Storm DeLarverie fought back against the police officer who attempted to arrest her that night. 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. Marsha P. Johnson Institute - Marsha P. Johnson Institute Information Careers Resources Contact Us Newsletter Subscription Community Standards Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions Supporting The Marsha P. Johnson Institute Follow us PROTECT AND DEFEND THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF BLACK TRANS PEOPLE! (A drag queen is a man who dresses as a woman to entertain others.) The NYPD further desecrated her memory when they pronounced her death a suicide, completely disregarding the evidence of foul play (i.e. Marsha was memorably present at the Stonewall Riots in 1969 where any number of actions have been attributed to her legend - including shimmying up a lamppost to drop a heavy weight that shattered a police car's windshield. Top Photo Credits: Photograph of Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera by Rudy Grillo, c . Do you find this information helpful? Johnsons story is featured in Pay It No Mind: Marsha P. Johnson (2012) and The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson (2017) and Happy Birthday, Marsha! Britannica does not review the converted text. 580 volunteers each say one of the names from the 580 plaques of the #VillageAIDSMemorial. After translating an article, all tools except font up/font down will be disabled. 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. The two worked for gay and transgender rights while also providing housing for LGBTQ youth living on the streets. On July 6, 1992, her body was found floating in New York Citys Hudson River. They reclassified her death as drowning from undetermined causes, but the case remained unsolved. Others said they saw Marsha being harassed by a group of "thugs" a few days before they died. Upon returning, the medication would wear off over the course of one month and Johnson would then return to normal. By 1966, she was waiting tables, engaging in sex work, and living on the streets of the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan. However, none of Johnson's friends or relatives believed Johnson was suicidal. Marsha P. Johnson at the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, a protest inspired by the events that took place at the Stonewall Inn. Terms and Conditions About Press 2021 Impact Report Donate Subscribe to our Newsletter Resources/ Organization This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Who would have thought that her body would be found in the Hudson River with a hole in her head on July 6, 1992. It largely focusses on where Marsha's death sits within the wider context of transphobic violence across the USA. Twenty-three-year old Johnson and her friend Sylvia Rivera were caught up in the Stonewall Uprising which went on for several days and is credited as the catalyst for the Gay Movement of the late 1960s. "[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. After the funeral, a series of demonstrations and marches to the police precinct took place, to demand justice for Johnson. 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. We are lucky enough to have a fair bit of other video and audio featuring Marsha or people who knew her: Randy Wickers Youtube channelhas a whole lot of videos about US queer history, including some of or about Marsha. 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. If looking for signs as to whether or not Marsha would have approved of the Village AIDS Memorial, we might look twice at the fact that she sat down for this rare sit-down videotaped interview (an absolute treasure for LGBTQ historians) the same day that the Village AIDS Memorial was dedicated, June 26, 1992. It was incredibly useful in putting together our podcast on Marsha, and well worth a look. LGBTQ people were routinely rousted, hassled, and arrested on questionable charges. American drag queen and activist Marsha P. Johnson was dedicated to social justice for the gay and transgender communities. Marsha P. Johnson grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, with her mother. We're not around right now. 2023 BBC. In reality, she didnt arrive at Stonewall until about 2 a.m., long after the uprising began. 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. 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. 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. When she got to Stonewall, she encountered shouting, fire and chaos. 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. 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. [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. There is power speaking the names of victims aloud. [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". She is credited for being an instigator in the Stonewall riots. Douglas, c1972. Earlier this year, New York Gov. 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. To learn more about Marsha, check out our podcast! [27], The definitions used by Rivera and Johnson were not always the same as those documented in the more mainstream literature of the era. "[63], Johnson remained devoutly religious in later life, often lighting candles and praying at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hoboken,[64] saying in 1992: "I practice the Catholic religion because the Catholic religion is part of the Santera of the saints, which says that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. 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. 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. To learn more about Marsha, check out our podcast! "I want people to stand beneath the halo and know that they can be like her. An eccentric woman known for her outlandish hats and glamorous jewelry, she was fearless and bold. Johnson variably identified as gay, as a transvestite, and as a queen (referring to drag queen or "street queen"). This Your donation is fully tax-deductible. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. However . [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'". 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. 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. Johnson switched names repeatedly as she established her persona, alternating between her given name Malcolm and Black Marsha before settling on Marsha P. Johnson. (2017). Johnson came out and said "my life has been built around sex and gay liberation, being a drag queen" and sex work. Happy birthday to Marsha P. Johnson, born 24 August 1945! 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. 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. 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. [72] Agosto Machado continues, "She was making offerings of flowers and change to King Neptune as an appeasement to help her friends who are on the other side. 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. In 1970 she cofounded with fellow transgender rights activist Sylvia Rivera the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR). 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. She worked both as a waitress and a sex worker. There Johnson began frequenting bars and nightclubs dressed as a female called Black Marsha. "[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. 'Cause you know, me and Jesus is always talking. [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". And he said, 'You know, you might wind up with nothing.' [8][9] Known as an outspoken advocate for gay rights, Johnson was one of the prominent figures in the Stonewall uprising of 1969. While the first two nights of rioting were the most intense, the clashes with police would result in a series of spontaneous demonstrations and marches through the gay neighborhoods of Greenwich Village for roughly a week afterwards. Johnson was known for her immense generosity. 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 riot stemmed from members of New Yorks LGBTQ community being targeted by the New York Police Department (NYPD). This was the source of a lot of my information about the possible causes of Marshas death. positive since 1990. Marsha picketing Bellevue Hospital to protest their treatment of queer people c.1970, holding a sign reading Power to the people. 20072023 Blackpast.org. 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. She was a pioneer of the gay rights movement in the late 1960s and spent the following two decades advocating for equal . She was one of the demonstrators during the Stonewall riots in 1969, protesting against police harassment and social discrimination of gay and transgender individuals. 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. Over 162 people arrested. Its available on Netflix. [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. The police forced over 200 people out of the bar and onto the streets, and then used excessive violence against them. [1] Her work continues today through the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, which fights for the rights of Black transgender people. We do this by organizing, advocating, creating an intentional community to heal, developing transformative leadership, and promoting our collective power. black-and-white photo of Marsha P Johnson. [image: black-and-white photo of Marsha P Johnson. 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. Marsha P. Johnson was born Malcolm Michaels, Jr. on August 24, 1945 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. 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. [55], By 1966, Johnson lived on the streets[2] and engaged in survival sex. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. -Marsha P. Johnson. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e3-5fa8-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99. [45][37] Johnson denied starting the uprising. Have students read the statement silently or out loud as a class. 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. 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. Photographed by Diana Davies. [43] In 1992, gay bashing was epidemic in New York. Rican trans woman Victoria Cruz. By continuing to use this site, you consent to the terms of our cookie policy, which can be found in our. 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. [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. While working nights as a fire watcher at a Bristol garage during the After completing high school in 1963, he moved to New York, New York. A new, third level of content, designed specially to meet the advanced needs of the sophisticated scholar. MPJI supports artists and . In 2019, the head of New York's Police Department apologised for their actions, saying, "the actions taken by the NYPD were wrong". [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. Video, County Antrim pupils record special coronation hymn. 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. 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. Marsha P. Johnsons housemate Randy Wicker in Pay It No Mind. "[62] In response, marches were organized, and Johnson was one of the activists who marched in the streets, demanding justice. Even though the Stonewall riots kick-started this wave of support for the LGBTQ+ community, there was still a lot of discrimination against them. Marsha P. Johnson (Source: USA Today / Originally Netflix . Theres also a lot of material written by Sylvia Rivera, including about her relationship with Marsha and their work with STAR. "[15], Johnson first began wearing dresses at the age of five but stopped temporarily due to harassment by boys who lived nearby. Race: Black. As the nascent Gay Rights movement swirled around her, Johnson fought social mores, the police, and her own demons. We are very excited to be coming back from hiatus tomorrow just in time for Pride Month! Police allowed Seventh Avenue to be closed while Johnson's ashes were carried to the river. Privacy Policy Primary sources like this reel-to-reel recording offer crucial insight into LGBTQ history in its historical complexity, providing a window into Johnson and Rivera's ideas about gender and sexuality and political vision at the dawn of gay liberation. She was a leader in the LGBTQ community helping their youth that were struggling with homelessness and discrimination and hate. 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. Making Gay History, a queer oral history podcast run by Eric Marcus, includes an interview with Marsha and Randy Wicker, conducted in the late 1980s. LGBTQ+ stands for lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer. [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. "[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. This profile is part of anarticlewritten by Cal Goodin for the National Parks Conservation Association. In June 1969, when Marsha was 23 years old, police raided a gay bar in New York called The Stonewall Inn. 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. She has since become a prominent face for the Queer Revolution. Throughout her life Johnson suffered from mental illness and was in and out of psychiatric hospitals. 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. 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.

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