Marsha P. Johnson. National Womens History Museum. Rivera said of Johnson that she was like a mother to me. The two were actively involved in the Stonewall Inn uprising on June 28, 1969 when patrons of the Stonewall Inna gay bar in Greenwich Village in lower Manhattanrebuffed a police raid and set a new tone for the gay rights movement. Lee: And I don't want to necessarily use the word hurt. Apparently, the truck was not abandoned after all. She brought some serious thoughts to this gay audience. Show more Show more But how are you finding joy in this moment? There's only one thing they want to get up your dress. And it also of course extends to folks who are nonbinary or gender nonconforming who straddle all of these struggles. Today, historians and former friends of Marsha describe her as a trans woman. Soul Poem Written and Performed By Marsha P. Johnson And we saw just from the turnout for the Rally for Black Trans Lives that there is momentum there also. Looking for ideas on how you can celebrate Pride Month? 2022. www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/marsha-p-johnson. Lee: Are we seeing that? (CHEERING). Yet this was not the first time Rivera was directly involved in activism. She used she/her pronouns. Marsha was part of a growing community of LGBTQ youth who sought acceptance in New York City. But in the 1950s and 1960s, LGBTQ peoples rights were strictly limited. For example, dancing with a person of the same sex as well as cross-dressing were illegal. Image Credit:Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Ron Simmons. In front of a crowd at that rally for Black trans lives, she had this to say. STAR House then moved to a dilapidated building, which they tried to fix up, but the group was evicted after eight months. I think some people try to. She was the fifth of seven children born to Malcolm Michaels Sr. and Alberta Claiborne. As the officers began to arrest people for violating various discriminatory laws, the patrons of the Stonewall fought back. Gertrude Kasebier, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. (LAUGH) But is her name and folks who came after her and worked alongside her, are those names forgotten, overlooked by accident, by intent? Franois (Franz) Fleischbein (artist), Portrait of Betsy, 1837. You might know King as the wife of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., however, her legacy extends far beyond the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s.. The riots had already started. There are many competing stories about what Johnson did during the raid on the Stonewall Inn, but it is clear she was on the front lines. In 1970, Sylvia came to Marsha with an idea. Abrams is now one of the most prominent African American female politicians in the United States. Dissident News has received the exclusive full transcript for the entirety of the RFK announcement speech. Rivera also fought against the exclusion of transgender people from the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act in New York. The first STAR House was in the back of an abandoned truck in Greenwich Village. But I will say I don't think that this is just a moment for Black trans people. Special thanks to Eric Marcus, founder and host of the podcast Making Gay History, for the use of his 1989 interview with Marsha P. Johnson. Johnson grew up in a religious family and began attending Mount Teman African Methodist Episcopal Church as a child; she remained a practicing Christian for the rest of her life. Johnson was outspoken about the risks of tackling the Mob; her roommate at the time had been lobbying to have officials with alleged Mafia ties removed from the MLA Rothberg, Emma. Marsha P Johnson, born 24 August, 1945, holds a special place within the LGBTQ+ community for her larger-than-life spirit and trans rights activism. How have Indigenous people exercised sovereignty and self-determination in the modern world? New-York Historical Society Library. Here are 14 quotes from Johnson that capture her spirit and endless passion for LGBTQ+ rights: On Coming of Age: I was no one, nobody, from Nowheresville until I became a drag queen. She dispensed cheer and joy. It wasnt commonly used until the 1990s. (LAUGH) I almost don't have time to tweet on some days 'cause I'm so busy. The final bill passed in 2002 and prevents discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, credit, and the exercise of civil rights.. In 2021, New York City will unveil a monument to Rivera and Johnson. Raised by her grandmother, Rivera began experimenting with clothing and makeup at a young age. She actively spoke out about the transphobia in the early gay rights movement. In 2012, the New York Police Department reopened the case into Johnsons death. The P stood for Pay It No Mind. To her, this was a life motto and a response to questions about her gender. Lee: You know, of course we've had this conversation around feminism and other movements before, whether women who are part of the movement are Black first or are they women first, gender first. Toshiko Akiyoshi changed the face of jazz music over her sixty-year career. It feels like a different time. In the early morning hours, police raided the bar and began arresting the patrons, most of whom were gay men. In the 1970s, Johnson experienced a series of mental health breakdowns and spent time in and out of psychiatric hospitals. Im a strong believer in that and thats why I try to do that for everyone I know has the virus. Marsha P. Johnson, You never completely have your rights, one person, until you all have your rights. Marsha P. Johnson, As long as gay people dont have their rights all across America, theres no reason for celebration. Marsha P. Johnson, Nobody promised you tomorrow. Marsha P. Johnson, I was no one, nobody, from Nowheresville, until I became a drag queen. Marsha P. Johnson, I always just do drag. Both women continued to be persistent voices for the rights of people of color and low-income queer and Trans communities for the remainder of their lives; Marshas life was cut short in 1992, though the details of her death remain a mystery. Invite students to research recent activism around the extreme violence that trans women of color continue to face. Note: Marshas life story includes a large amount of vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to teachers and students. Brayla was just 17. 'Cause we're all caught up in it. Johnsons life changed when she found herself engaging with the resistance at The Stonewall Inn on June 28, 1969. It's not entirely different from how women and girls of all experiences face not being seen as competent, intelligent, brilliant, and capability of leadership. Now they are getting a statue in New York What were the circumstances around Marshas death? So thank you very much for your time. Willis, Raquel, How Sylvia Rivera Created the Blueprint for Transgender Organizing,Out Magazine,May 21, 2019,https://www.out.com/pride/2019/5/21/how-sylvia-rivera-created-blueprint-transgender-organizing. Johnson was involved in the early days of both but grew frustrated by the exclusion of transgender and LGBTQ+ people of color from the movement. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. Wilchins, Riki, A Woman for Her Time,The Village Voice, February 26, 2002,https://www.villagevoice.com/2002/02/26/a-woman-for-her-time/. She also reconciled with the gay rights movement that was now expanding to embrace the LGBTQ+ community. Lee: This is from a 1989 interview with journalist Eric Marcus. [3]These transgender icons will be the first to get statues in the US Always sporting a smile, Johnson was an important advocate for homeless LGBTQ+ youth, those effected by H.I.V. A man pulled a gun on me and snatched my pocketbook in a car. Marsha was part of a growing community of LGBTQ youth who sought acceptance in New York City. Toshiko Akiyoshi changed the face of jazz music over her sixty-year career. She never let her personal setbacks stop her advocacy. But in this moment, in the fight for trans equality, is it more important to grow allies in the Black community or allies with other women? Lee: How do you move through these movement spaces that, you know, the bounds of white supremacy are still there? Soon, Marsha was attending rallies, sit-ins, and meetings of the newly formed Gay Liberation Front. We have been fighting to be respected, fighting to live for centuries. As one of the leaders of the Stonewall Inn uprising, the Black transgender woman was an early activist for LGBTQ+ rights in New York City. As we celebrate Earth Day this year, may we reflect on the wise words of environmentalists, climate activists, faith leaders, lovers of nature, and the youth of the world. While the genesis of the Stonewall Inn uprising remains shrouded in myth, theres no doubt Johnson was a key figure leading the events of June 28, 1969 some even credit her with throwing the shot glass heard around the world that started the rebellion. ", On Mental Health: I may be crazy, but that don't make me wrong., On Distrust: I got robbed once. Rivera, a Puerto Rican transgender girl, and the two became instant friends. A decade later, Sylvia lost her battle to cancer. However, Johnson also found a community in the city, especially after meeting Latina drag queen Sylvia Rivera. In one account, she started the uprising by throwing a shot glass at a mirror. She was arrested over 100 times. Transpeople were more likely to be homeless and targeted by police. Quiz Bowl 2023 - 1A Sacred Heart vs. Norfork - PBS How can food be used as a form of cultural memory & resistance? You know, at every level there's a systemic transphobia that is not being addressed. There's this idea that because we are openly gender nonconforming or having an openly different gender experience that we deserve the abuse that we may receive, and that's just not okay. We fed people and clothed people. What challenges did she face there? A person who identifies with the sex they were assigned at birth. Given what many are seeing as the historic nature of this speech out of left field from the blue dog democrat, this is not something you are going to want to Photo by Leonard Fink, Courtesy LGBT Community Center National History Archive, Leonard Fink, Courtesy of The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. Jen Carlson, Activists Install Marsha P. Johnson Monument in Christopher Park, Gothamist, August 25, 2021, https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/marsha-p-johnson-statue-bust-christopher-park, The Marsha P. Johnson Institute, https://marshap.org/, By Emma Rothberg, Ph.D. | Associate Educator, Digital Learning and Innovation. You can't say that it's about having a particular set of body, you know, thinking of the many women I know who have had hysterectomies, right? Shes said that the town had zero tolerance for LGBTQ people and as a Dive into the world of small businesses with this compilation of powerful quotes that celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit, community impact, and unwavering commitment of local business owners. 2022. Johnson, an African American self-identified drag queen and activist, was also battling exclusion in a She started Transy House, modeled off STAR House, in 1997 in Park Slope, Brooklyn. It is said those who threw the first brick on New-York Historical Society. Marsha P. Johnson: The way I winded up being at Stonewall that night, I was having a party uptown. The weight is heavy, and there's a lot to be concerned, sad, angry about. Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Willis: No. How can food be used as a form of cultural memory & resistance? And they never forget it. As one of few women and Asian musicians in the jazz world, Akiyoshi infused Japanese culture, sounds, and instruments into her music. Marsha P Willis: I don't know. I just recently had a really hard conversation with my brother. A progressive social reformer and activist, Jane Addams was on the frontline of the settlement house movement and was the first American woman to wina Nobel Peace Prize. Lee: Rivera ran away from home at age 11 and became a victim of sexual exploitation around 42nd Street. She said in a 1989 interview that, Before gay rights, before the Stonewall, I was involved in the Black Liberation movement, the peace movementI felt I had the time and I knew that I had to do something. Together, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera continue to inspire the fight for justice that has not been won. Invite students to study Warhols portrait of Marsha and learn about the, Invite students to learn more about the Stonewall Inn uprising by exploring the, A few days before her death, Marsha gave an interview in which she joked about the recent installment of a monument outside the Stonewall Inn. We lose a lot of nuance there. She was assigned male at birth. WebIn December 1970, Liza Cowan of WBAI sat down with membersation a the newly formed Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (or S The full episode transcript for Into Black Trans Liberation. IE 11 is not supported. Not long after arriving in New York, 17-year-old Marsha met 11-year-old Sylvia Rivera. To wear clothes typically associated with a different sex and is most commonly used to describe men who wear make-up and womens clothing. Willis: Of course. And we were all out there. But do we have a good enough holistic nuance view of that violence? Steve Lickteig is executive producer of audio. So people like Marsha P. Johnson, Zazu Nova, a Black trans elder who's still with us named Miss Major were present there and were actively invested in the fight that sprang out of that moment. Johnson and Rivera arrived at Stonewall around 2am where, Johnson said in a later interview, the place was already on fire, and there was a raid already. Marsha enjoyed expressing herself through her appearance. She also found work waiting tables and performing in drag shows. Rivera frequently experienced homelessness and had problems with substance abuse. And so Black women in general have had to fight against this restrictive idea of womanhood that has been contingent on a white bourgeois imagination. Thank you. Subscribers get each new issue of the Goodnewspaper mailed to their home, get exclusive discounts for do-good brands, fill the world with more good news, and more. Into America is produced by Isabel Angel, Allison Bailey, Aaron Dalton, Max Jacobs, Barbara Raab, Claire Tighe, Aisha Turner, and Preeti Varathan. She took on the name "Black Marsha," and eventually added on her famous middle initial and took her last name from a Howard Johnson restaurant she frequented. Here are 14 quotes from Johnson that capture her spirit and endless passion for LGBTQ+ rights: On Coming of Age: I was no one, nobody, from Nowheresville until I She spoke publicly about her diagnosis and how people should not be afraid of those with the disease in a June 26, 1992 interview. She was given a place of honor in the 25th Anniversary Stonewall Inn march in 1994. A veteran of the 1969 Stonewall Inn uprising, Sylvia Rivera was a tireless advocate for those silenced and disregarded by larger movements. They thought it was more likely that Marsha was a victim of an attack. Oportunidades Iguales Para Las Mujeres En El Trabajo y La Educaccion, Womens Strike for Equality, New York, Fifth Avenue, 1970, Eugene Gordon photograph collection, 1970-1990. Willis: I think that we need all the allies. You know? Trymaine Lee: Last month, in the middle of Pride, thousands of people gathered in Brooklyn, New York for a rally for Black trans lives. I am a senior. 1989-1990. . Thank you for joining the Goodnewsletter! Lot of flying. In 2019, New York City announced that Marsha P. Johnson, along with Rivera, would be the subject of a monument commissioned by the Public Arts Campaign She Built NYC. The monument will be the first in NYC to honor transgender women. She believed no one should hustle or live on the streets, but she knew no other way to survive. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Crowd: Black trans lives matter. But when people are close to you and they're side, maybe they're family or people that you really respect and they don't get it, does that sting a little bit? Marsha had a reputation for being generous and kind. Look no further than our guide. Since the term transgender wasnt used during her time, she identified as gay, transvestite and as a drag queen, using the pronouns she/her. However, young Marsha enjoyed wearing clothing made for girls. On July 6, 1992, Johnsons body was found in the Hudson River. It was not easy to live on the margins. What tensions existed within the gay liberation movement? Cihak and Zima (photographer), Ida B. Wells-Barnett, ca. Marsha P. Johnson Marsha P. Johnson & Sylvia Rivera - National Park Service And I didn't get downtown till about 2:00. So it has been intentional, and it is still intentional today. ' In 2001, she was marching in New York City Pride Parades and living in Transy House. Marsha P. Johnson. National Womens History Museum. I mean, how often does that happen? WebMARSHA P JOHNSON SAVES BOY Randolfe Wicker 633 views 10 years ago Trans Women of Color and the Stonewall Riots Rachel Simon 1.7K views 7 years ago Willis: Well, you know what is interesting is we've gotta get out of this space of thinking that transgender people are having some kind of magically different gender experience.