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. Choosing a name is a rite of passage for many transgender people, and she tried on a few before settling on Marsha P. Johnson. (194592). During a tempestuous Christian childhood, around the age of five, Johnson began to dress as a girl. There is power speaking the names of victims aloud. In reality, she didnt arrive at Stonewall until about 2 a.m., long after the uprising began. The Uprising spawned the first gay pride marches across the country in 1970. This page also includes a transcript and a lot of links to further resources about Marsha and Randy. She is credited for being an instigator in the Stonewall riots. Some felt that it was more common for this to happen under Johnson's "male persona as Malcolm". We hope you and your family enjoy the NEW Britannica Kids. He's like the spirit that follows me around, you know, and helps me out in my hour of need. Marsha is honored as a Stonewall instigator, a drag queen, an Andy Warhol model, an actress and a revolutionary trans activist. This We were young enough to believe we could change the world. 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. Careers Marsha P. Johnson was an African American drag performer and social activist. Marsha P. Johnson. [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 Institute - Marsha P. Johnson Institute We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 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. 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. Marsha P. Johnson (U.S. National Park Service) Copyright 2019 Marsha P. Johnson Institute. However . They said nobody else had been responsible for the death. She is wearing pearls and has her hair in an up-do decorated with flowers and feathers.]. To learn more about Marsha, check out our podcast! 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. 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. In honour of their upcoming 50th anniversary, well be talking about the Stonewall Riots. In 1970 she cofounded with fellow transgender rights activist Sylvia Rivera the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR). [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. 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 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. Marsha said the "P" stood for "Pay it no mind" - a phrase they used when people commented negatively on their appearance or life choices.
