marsha p johnson primary sourcemarsha p johnson primary source

The police initially declared her death a suicide and then agreed to reopen the case in 2012. 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. Michael Dillon was born on the 1st of May in England in 1915. 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). From the website: "The Marsha P. Johnson Institute (MPJI) protects and defends the human rights of BLACK transgender people. Rivera, Sylvia, "Transvestites: Your Half Sisters and Half Brothers of the Revolution" in, Shepard, Benjamin Heim and Ronald Hayduk (2002). During a tempestuous Christian childhood, around the age of five, Johnson began to dress as a girl. She was 46 at the time of her death. [41] Only weeks later, Johnson would also turn up dead under similar circumstances. She made intricate outfits out of garbage, modeled for Andy Warhol and wrote poetry. [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. "Rapping With a Street Transvestite Revolutionary" in Out of the closets: voices of gay liberation. 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. 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. When she got to Stonewall, she encountered shouting, fire and chaos. 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. LGBTQ people were routinely rousted, hassled, and arrested on questionable charges. 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. She sought out new interviews with witnesses, friends, other activists, and police who had worked the case or had been on the force at the time of Johnson's death. Marsha P. Johnsons housemate Randy Wicker in Pay It No Mind. [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. [11] On the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, the Stonewall uprising occurred. [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. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. The LGBTQ community was fed up with being targeted by the police and seeing these public arrests incited rioting that spilled over into the neighboring streets and lasted several days. 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. Johnson and Rivera were key players in the 1969 New York riots, which historians say ignited the modern LGBTQ rights movement. She is credited for being an instigator in the Stonewall riots. 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. Marsha resisted arrest, but in the following days, led a series of protests and riots demanding rights for gay people. According to Matt Foreman, former director of the Anti-Violence Project, "Anti-LGBT violence was at a peak. Choosing a name is a rite of passage for many transgender people, and she tried on a few before settling on Marsha P. Johnson. Terms and Conditions [6] Their response was to march defiantly ahead of the parade. She was a pioneer of the gay rights movement in the late 1960s and spent the following two decades advocating for equal rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community. 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. Marsha P. Johnson was an African American drag performer and social activist. Marsha P. Johnson (Source: USA Today / Originally Netflix . They also maintained the STAR House, a place of refuge for LGBTQ homeless youth. Johnson's friend Sasha McCaffrey added, "I would find her in the strangest churches. Several documentaries have been made celebrating Johnsons life and activism. Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again (2018). 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. "I was no one, nobody, from Nowheresville until I became a drag queen. This was the source of my direct quotes from Randy. We can be as active and resilient as Marsha P. Johnson because our fights are far from over." During a tempestuous Christian childhood, around the age of five, Johnson began to dress as a girl. "Marsha is the crowned mother of queer protest and LGBTQ resilience and resistance," said creator Yoav Wachs. 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. He began wearing girls clothing at a young age, but, after neighborhood children bullied him, he stopped. And we were all like, Oh my God! They just dropped her. 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. [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. Marshas death sits within the wider context of transphobic violence We are very excited to be coming back from hiatus tomorrow just in time for Pride Month! 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. Always sporting a smile, Johnson was an important advocate for homeless LGBTQ+ youth, those effected by H.I.V. [5] As Edmund White writes in his 1979 Village Voice article, "The Politics of Drag", Johnson also liked dressing in ways that would display "the interstice between masculine and feminine". Free to Use and Reuse Sets - Batches of primary sources on engaging topics. Up until her dying breath, she confessed with her mouth that she was married to Jesus, a sign of holiness attributed to the earliest Christian martyrs. 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. Photographed by Diana Davies.]. Photographed by Diana Davies. [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. [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. Initially ruled a suicide, her death has since been ruled a possible homicide. Find out more about the riots that started the Pride movement. It largely focusses on where Marsha's death sits within the wider context of transphobic violence across the USA. MPJI supports artists and . We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Images of Marsha P. Johnson from Andy Warhols 1975 series Ladies and Gentlemen. For anyone wanting to learn more about drag queen and activist Marsha P. Johnson, this entire documentary is available for free on Youtube! [20], Johnson initially used the moniker "Black Marsha" but later decided on the drag queen name "Marsha P. Johnson", getting Johnson from the restaurant Howard Johnson's on 42nd Street, stating that the P stood for "pay it no mind"[25] and used the phrase sarcastically when questioned about gender, saying "it stands for 'pay it no mind'". Initially and quickly ruled a suicide by the NYPD, controversy and protest followed, eventually leading to a re-opening of the case as a possible homicide. 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! 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. She is wearing pearls and has her hair in an up-do decorated with flowers and feathers, Michael Dillon in his merchant navy uniform. Marsha P. Johnson was born on August 24, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. [82] Some of her work to find justice for Johnson was filmed by David France for the 2017 documentary The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson was born Malcolm Michaels, Jr., on August 24, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. In June 1969, when Marsha was 23 years old, police raided a gay bar in New York called The Stonewall Inn. The P purportedly stands for Pay It No Mind, a flippant saying she used to dismiss antagonists. 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. In 1946 he published Self: A Study in Ethics and Endocrinology which Johnson was inspired by a Howard Johnson restaurant she liked, and the P stood for Pay it No Mind, which is how she responded when questioned about her gender. [27], The definitions used by Rivera and Johnson were not always the same as those documented in the more mainstream literature of the era. 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. . Earlier this year, New York Gov. Michaels and their six siblings were raised in the Mount Teman African Methodist Episcopal Church. Some felt that it was more common for this to happen under Johnson's "male persona as Malcolm". An eccentric woman known for her outlandish hats and glamorous jewelry, she was fearless and bold. If you cant wait until tomorrow, have a listen to our episodes on Marsha P. Johnson and Storm DeLarverie, wholl both be featured (as well as Harvey Milk for an unexpected cameo!). 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 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. By 1966, she was waiting tables, engaging in sex work, and living on the streets of the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan. And he said, 'You know, you might wind up with nothing.' Johnson was known for her immense generosity. 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. the hole in her head). When the officers attempted to perform an arrest, Johnson hit them with a handbag, which contained two bricks. This documentary follows the investigation of Marsha's death by Puerto Rican trans woman Victoria Cruz. Johnson and Rivera's interviews and writings in this era also at times used terminology in ways that were sarcastic and camp, other times serious, or all of the above at once. Johnson also took part in Gay Pride parades and events. An early ACT UP member and AIDS activist, Johnson also became a victim of the disease. [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. Improved homework resources designed to support a variety of curriculum subjects and standards. [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. 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. Over 162 people arrested. 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. They said nobody else had been responsible for the death. Throughout her life Johnson suffered from mental illness and was in and out of psychiatric hospitals. [80] Randy Wicker later said that Johnson may have hallucinated and walked into the river, or may have jumped into the river to escape harassers, but stated that Johnson was never suicidal. This documentary uses 1992 interview footage taken with Marsha just weeks before her death, as well as a lot of footage of people who knew her talking about her. 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. 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. There Johnson began frequenting bars and nightclubs dressed as a female called Black Marsha. To share with more than one person, separate addresses with a comma. Sadly, at the age of 46, on July 6, 1992, Johnsons body was found in the Hudson River off the West Village Piers. Birth Date: 24 Aug 1945. "[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. [59] According to Bob Kohler, Johnson would walk naked up Christopher Street and be taken away for two or three months to be treated with chlorpromazine, an antipsychotic medication. She had $15 and a bag of clothes. "[73], Near the time of Johnson's death in 1992, Randy Wicker said Johnson was increasingly sick and in a fragile state. and AIDS, and gay and transgender rights. That same decade, he himself became the first trans man to undergo a phalloplasty. If you want to know my source for a particular fact or quote, feel free to send us a message! [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. 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. Marsha P. Johnson at the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, a protest inspired by the events that took place at the Stonewall Inn. This profile is part of anarticlewritten by Cal Goodin for the National Parks Conservation Association. - Marsha P. Johnson Plaque #1: A gay rights activist since the 60's known to many as the Mayor of Christopher Street, Edward Francis Murphy is credited with organizing the celebrations that annually follows the NYC Gay Pride Parade, an event now rebranded as PrideFest that is observed world-wide. Two years later on July 6, 1994, Johnson was found drowned in the Hudson River off the West Village Piers. She is wearing pearls and has her hair in an up-do decorated with flowers and feathers.]. Video, County Antrim pupils record special coronation hymn. Marsha was assigned male at birth, but described herself as living life as a woman, and worked tirelessly to support her trans community. [45] Watson also reported that Johnson's saintly personality was "volatile" and listed a roster of gay bars from which Johnson had been banned. "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. [48] On the first anniversary of the Stonewall rebellion, on June 28, 1970, Johnson marched in the first Gay Pride rally, then called the Christopher Street Liberation Day. These cookies do not store any personal information. Its available on Netflix. [45], Following the Stonewall uprising, Johnson joined the Gay Liberation Front and was active in the GLF Drag Queen Caucus. [5] Johnson waited tables after moving to Greenwich Village in 1966. I also want to add that just because I referenced these sources doesnt mean I agree with everything they say. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. Have students read the statement silently or out loud as a class. Marsha P. Johnson was a well-known face in New York Citys Greenwich Village, where she lived on the street for many years. These stats were sourced hereand here. Johnson gradually cultivated a unique personality and style and eventually began calling herself Marsha P. Johnson. I mean how many years does it take for people to see that we're all in this rat race together. Check out our podcast to learn more about the wonderful Marsha P. Johnson! argued that an individual should have the final say over what medical [56][57] While the original location of STAR House was evicted in 1971 and the building was destroyed,[54] the household existed in different configurations and at different locations over the years. Marsha picketing Bellevue Hospital to protest their treatment of queer people c.1970, holding a sign reading Power to the people. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. It was an "unrelenting wave of attacks. 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". Pay It No Mind - The Life and Times of Marsha P. Johnson - Thanks to the wisdom of Tony Nunziata, Jimmy Camicia, Richard Morrison, and Larry Show more Show more 55:56 Frameline Voices - Pay. In 1963, Johnson graduated from Edison High School and promptly moved to New York City with $15 and a bag of clothing. 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. Marsha P. Johnson. Careers Sources:Goodin, Cal. "[15], Johnson first began wearing dresses at the age of five but stopped temporarily due to harassment by boys who lived nearby. 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. For more information specifically on STAR, Id encourage you to check out: Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries: Survival, Revolt, and Queer Antagonist Struggle. 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. [6], Johnson's body was found floating in the Hudson River in 1992. Johnson. "The Unsung Heroines of Stonewall" National Parks Conservation Association Blog, October 1, 2020. Who would have thought that her body would be found in the Hudson River with a hole in her head on July 6, 1992. -Marsha P. Johnson. [13] Prior to Carter's book, it was claimed Johnson had "thrown a brick" at a police officer, an account that was never verified. [78], According to Sylvia Rivera, their friend Bob Kohler believed Johnson had committed suicide due to an ever-increasing fragile state, which Rivera herself disputed, claiming she and Johnson had "made a pact" to "cross the 'River Jordan' (aka Hudson River) together". The Marsha P. Johnson Institute (MPJI) protects and defends the human rights of BLACK transgender people. Her life has been celebrated in numerous books, documentaries and films. "[62] In response, marches were organized, and Johnson was one of the activists who marched in the streets, demanding justice. About Press 2021 Impact Report Donate Subscribe to our Newsletter Resources/ Organization This website uses cookies to improve your experience. This was the source of a lot of my information . [5] Johnson spoke of first having a mental breakdown in 1970. This page also includes a transcript and a lot of links to further resources about Marsha and Randy. There is power speaking the names of victims aloud. She has since become a prominent face for the Queer Revolution. This article is about the foundation of STAR, and includes quotes from an interview Feinberg conducted in 1998 with Sylvia Rivera. 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. 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. Marsha is one of many Black Trans women that have left a powerful stamp on history. [75][76] According to Wicker, a witness saw a neighborhood resident fighting with Johnson on July 4, 1992. [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. 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. Together we did", "Exploding the Myths of Stonewall Gay City News", "Gay History Month- June 28,1969: The REAL History of the Stonewall Riots", "Marsha P Johnson Carols for Ma & Pa Xmas Presents", "Gay rights activists Sylvia Ray Rivera, Marsha P. Johnson, Barbara Deming, and Kady Vandeurs at City Hall rally for gay rights", "Marsha P. Johnson (19441992) Activist, Drag Mother. [1] Her work continues today through the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, which fights for the rights of Black transgender people. 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. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. (A drag queen is a man who dresses as a woman to entertain others.) In reality, she didnt arrive at Stonewall until about 2 a.m., long after the uprising began. 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.. 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. [55], By 1966, Johnson lived on the streets[2] and engaged in survival sex. Marsha picketing Bellevue Hospital to protest their treatment of queer people c.1970, holding a sign reading Power to the people. How many years does it take for people to see that we're all brothers and sisters and human beings in the human race? In 1970 she cofounded with fellow transgender rights activist Sylvia Rivera the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR). Search the online collections Do you find this information helpful? https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e3-5fa8-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99. Johnson is often credited with throwing the first stone after. It largely focusses on where [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. The two most extensive sources on Marsha are both documentaries: Pay It No Mind- Michael Kasinos 2012 documentary. However, she found joy as a drag queen amidst the nightlife of Christopher Street. 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. These events have been collectively described as a riot, a rebellion, a protest, and an uprising. Whatever the label, this was certainly a watershed moment in LGBT history. In addition to soup kitchens, the Church of Saint Veronica hosted gay Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and a food hall serving breakfast and lunch to over 40 AIDS patients at a time. Marsha P. Johnson was a woman before her time. [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. After translating an article, all tools except font up/font down will be disabled. She is credited for being an instigator in the Stonewall riots. The NYPD further desecrated her memory when they pronounced her death a suicide, completely disregarding the evidence of foul play (i.e. Johnson moved to Greenwich Village in New York City after graduating from high school. In 2015, The Marsha P. Johnson Institute was established. Read about our approach to external linking. BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. Community Standards 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. 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. 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. Who Is Trans TikTok Influencer Dylan Mulvaney? [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. The witness said that when he tried to tell police what he had seen his story was ignored. 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. Newsletter Subscription Gay people were regularly threatened and beaten by police, and were shunned by many in society. 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.

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