marsha p johnson primary source

And he said, 'You know, you might wind up with nothing.' [6] Johnson was known as the "mayor of Christopher Street"[13] due to being a welcoming presence in the streets of Greenwich Village. In 1946 he published Self: A Study in Ethics and Endocrinology which Johnson and Rivera were key players in the 1969 New York riots, which historians say ignited the modern LGBTQ rights movement. 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. Marsha P. Johnson (Left) and Sylvia Rivera (Right), Gay Pride Parade, New York City, 1973. 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. 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. 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. Race: Black. Astrological. 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. She was 46 at the time of her death. Sources:Goodin, Cal. LGBTQ people were routinely rousted, hassled, and arrested on questionable charges. [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. All I want is my freedom. 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. She made intricate outfits out of garbage, modeled for Andy Warhol and wrote poetry. And we were all like, Oh my God! They just dropped her. She is credited for being an instigator in the Stonewall riots. (A drag queen is a man who dresses as a woman to entertain others.) Kohler tells a story of sunbathing at the Christopher Street Piers in the West Village when Johnson, naked, began grabbing at Kohler's shirt, shouting, "My father needs those clothes! She was tragically found dead on July 6, 1992 at the age of 46. 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. marsha p. johnson Archives - PBS NewsHour Classroom [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. That same decade, he himself became the first trans man to undergo a phalloplasty. 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. BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. We can be as active and resilient as Marsha P. Johnson because our fights are far from over." Marsha P. Johnson and the Stonewall Rebellion: Crash Course Black American History #41 CrashCourse 59K views 8 months ago L020A Sylvia Rivera, "Y'all Better Quiet Down" Original Authorized. Privacy Policy How many years [does it take] for people to realize we are all brothers and sisters and human beings in the human race.. Johnson subsequently joined the Gay Liberation Front, which was a catalyst for the gay rights movement. [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. [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. -Marsha P. Johnson. Marsha P. Johnsons housemate Randy Wicker in Pay It No Mind. Shed spend her meager earnings on meals for others and couldnt walk downtown without multiple people calling her name, wishing her well. [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. She suffered from mental illness, weathering breakdowns, arrests, and stints at psychiatric hospitals even as she strove to promote gay civil rights. 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. 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. She is wearing pearls and has her hair in an up-do decorated with flowers and feathers.]. 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. Twenty-five years later, Victoria Cruz, a crime victim advocate of the New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP) re-opened the case. Marsha P. Johnson was born Malcolm Michaels, Jr. on August 24, 1945 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Johnson commented, "How many people have died for these two little statues to be put in the park to recognize gay people? This page also includes a transcript and a lot of links to further resources about Marsha and Randy. Terms and Conditions the hole in her head). 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. By continuing to use this site, you consent to the terms of our cookie policy, which can be found in our. "These were sacrifices to her father, and to Neptune, who got all mixed up together," explains Kohler. 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. [75][76] According to Wicker, a witness saw a neighborhood resident fighting with Johnson on July 4, 1992. The two most extensive sources on Marsha are both documentaries: Pay It No Mind- Michael Kasinos 2012 documentary. our podcast on drag queen and activist Marsha P. Johnson, Activist Dick Leitschs account, written September 1969, Articles by journalists Howard Smith and Lucien Truscott, written July 1969, Letter written by Edmund White, June/July 1969, Pay It No Mind - The Life and Times of Marsha P. Johnson. 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. 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. Read about our approach to external linking. In 1970 she cofounded with fellow transgender rights activist Sylvia Rivera the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR). 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. Photographed by Diana Davies.]. Marsha was nicknamed the "Saint of Christopher Street" (where the Stonewall Inn is located), because of the generosity they had shown towards people in New York's LGBTQ+ community. 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. We are very excited to be coming back from hiatus tomorrow just in time for Pride Month! [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. [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. 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. She was a Catholic with a strong sense of faith. As the nascent Gay Rights movement swirled around her, Johnson fought social mores, the police, and her own demons. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. He's like the spirit that follows me around, you know, and helps me out in my hour of need. [20] Johnson's mother reportedly said that being homosexual is like being "lower than a dog",[21] but Johnson said that Alberta was unaware of the LGBT community. Johnson and Rivera acted as house mothers, guiding and protecting the young people. And I said, Honey, I don't care if I never have nothing ever till the day I die. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Throughout her life Johnson suffered from mental illness and was in and out of psychiatric hospitals. One of Johnson's most notable direct actions occurred in August 1970, staging a sit-in protest at Weinstein Hall at New York University alongside fellow GLF members after administrators canceled a dance when they found out that it was sponsored by gay organizations. Johnson variably identified as gay, as a transvestite, and as a queen (referring to drag queen or "street queen"). Marsha P. Johnson was an African American transgender woman and revolutionary LGBTQ rights activist. She stated that the middle initial stood for pay it no mind, a phrase she often used when questioned about her gender or lifestyle. [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". The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson - David Frances 2017 documentary. These stats were sourced hereand here. She graduated high school at 17, then fled to New York City, where she could finally start dressing how she wanted. She was joyous and creative and enjoyed performing. 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. David Carter conducted many of his own interviews for this book. 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. Soul Poem Written and Performed By Marsha P. Johnson - YouTube An early ACT UP member and AIDS activist, Johnson also became a victim of the disease. [49] Shortly after that, Johnson and close friend Sylvia Rivera co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) organization (initially titled Street Transvestites Actual Revolutionaries). 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. 20072023 Blackpast.org. The police ruled she had committed suicide despite claims from her friends and other members of the local community that she was not suicidal. 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. She was a pioneer of the gay rights movement in the late 1960s and spent the following two decades advocating for equal . It was like Oh my God. She worked both as a waitress and a sex worker. [8][9] Known as an outspoken advocate for gay rights, Johnson was one of the prominent figures in the Stonewall uprising of 1969. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. 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. MPJI in the news - Marsha P. Johnson Institute One person you may have heard about in recent days is Marsha P. Johnson. They said nobody else had been responsible for the death. [37][36] In 1990, Johnson performed with The Hot Peaches in London. Key moments of black history in the United States, Watch Newsround - signed and subtitled. [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 picketing Bellevue Hospital to protest their treatment of queer people c.1970, holding a sign reading Power to the people. Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries by Leslie Feinberg (2006). Johnson moved to Greenwich Village in New York City after graduating from high school. 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. That's what made me in New York, that's what made me in New Jersey, that's what made me in the world." "[65], Johnson would also make offerings to the saints and spirits in a more personal manner, keeping a private altar at home when possible. 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. . She also began to perform as a drag queen initially going by the name "Black Marsha . Its mission is to defend and protect the human rights of transgender and gender nonconforming communities. Homeless, she turned to prostitution to survive and soon found a like-minded community in the bawdy nightlife of Christopher Street. 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. Accessible across all of today's devices: phones, tablets, and desktops. By 1966, she was waiting tables, engaging in sex work, and living on the streets of the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan. Who Is Trans TikTok Influencer Dylan Mulvaney? That night, she had invited a bunch of her friends, including Rivera, to a party. [5] Johnson waited tables after moving to Greenwich Village in 1966. Some felt that it was more common for this to happen under Johnson's "male persona as Malcolm". across the USA. "[62] In response, marches were organized, and Johnson was one of the activists who marched in the streets, demanding justice. 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. We're not around right now. [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. 2023 BBC. "[15], In Pay it No Mind friends Bob Kohler and Agosto Machado talk about Johnson's relationship with Neptune. During a tempestuous Christian childhood, around the age of five, Johnson began to dress as a girl. [27], The definitions used by Rivera and Johnson were not always the same as those documented in the more mainstream literature of the era. In June 1969, when Marsha was 23 years old, police raided a gay bar in New York called The Stonewall Inn. She was homeless and prostituted herself to make ends meet. Britannica does not review the converted text. In 2015, The Marsha P. Johnson Institute was established. [74], Shortly after the 1992 Gay pride parade, Johnson's body was discovered floating in the Hudson River. She waited and waited, but no one showed up. I also want to add that just because I referenced these sources doesnt mean I agree with everything they say. Watch It", "Here I am marching with Jon Jon and Miss Marsha one sunny Gay Day. The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson - David France's 2017 documentary. [45][37] Johnson denied starting the uprising. Michaels' father, Malcolm Michaels Sr., was an assembly line worker at General Motors, while Michaels' mother, Alberta Claiborne, was a housekeeper. Marsha P. Johnson grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, with her mother. However, she found joy as a drag queen amidst the nightlife of Christopher Street. [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. Never without a flower in her hair, Marsha was also referred to as a saint, even the Patron Saint of the LGBTQ 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. [36] In 1975, Johnson was photographed by famed artist Andy Warhol, as part of a "Ladies and Gentlemen" series of Polaroids. Provo, UT, US: Ancestry.com". Marsha resisted arrest, but in the following days, led a series of protests and riots demanding rights for gay people. Johnson gradually cultivated a unique personality and style and eventually began calling herself Marsha P. Johnson. Marsha P. Johnson (Source: USA Today / Originally Netflix . [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. [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. On July 6, 1992, her body was found floating in New York Citys Hudson River. Johnson would go on to create a trans rights group with Sylvia Rivera called Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR). Your donation is fully tax-deductible. Johnson was born Malcolm Michaels, Jr., on August 24, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. [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. After completing high school in 1963, he moved to New York, New York. Finding Primary Sources | Getting Started with Primary Sources Who was Marsha P. Johnson? - CBBC Newsround Read about our approach to external linking. Marsha P. Johnson | stonewall50.sites.uiowa.edu - University of Iowa [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. 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. Marsha was devoutly spiritual, confessing: I practice the Catholic religion because the Catholic religion is part of the sangria (blood) of the saints, which says that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ.. Johnson experienced a difficult childhood due to her Christian upbringing. Over 162 people arrested. A few other online sources which I used or mentioned were: The 2018 New York Times obituary of Marshawhich was created as part of their Overlooked series. How many years does it take for people to see that we're all brothers and sisters and human beings in the human race? [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. About MPJI - Marsha P. Johnson Institute In reality, she didnt arrive at Stonewall until about 2 a.m., long after the uprising began. Free to Use and Reuse Sets - Batches of primary sources on engaging topics. These cookies do not store any personal information. Video, County Antrim pupils record special coronation hymn. On June 28, 1969, Marsha P. Johnson became one of the faces of the Queer Revolution. Best Known For: Marsha P. Johnson was an African American transgender woman and revolutionary LGBTQ rights activist. [45], Following the Stonewall uprising, Johnson joined the Gay Liberation Front and was active in the GLF Drag Queen Caucus. But many friends argued this ruling at the time, saying attacks on gay and trans people were common.

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