Marsha P. Johnson was a relentlessadvocate for gay rights , best known for her involvement in theStonewall Uprisingand tireless endeavor to protect those in her community . Though she dealt with homelessness , genial healthissues , and law brutality throughout her sprightliness , she managed to leave behind a legacy of positivity by demonstrate one of the firstLGBTQ+youth shelters and allow basic needs for anyone struggle around her . Here are eight facts about Marsha P. Johnson .
1. Marsha P. Johnson grew up in a conservative New Jersey family.
Born on August 24 , 1945 , Marsha P. Johnson was the 5th of seven baby in a big Christian familyfrom Elizabeth , New Jersey . allot male person at birth , Johnson soon found a lovemaking for wearing girl ’s clothes , though her parents oftenreprimanded her fordoing so . Still , she remain close with her menage , and when she ’d repay home for vacation , she oftentimes convey displaced supporter with her so they could delight the company of her loved one .
2. Marsha P. Johnson had a stint in the Navy.
After graduate from Thomas A. Edison High School in 1963 , Johnsonenrolled in the U.S. Navy . Though not much is known about her time in the war machine , we do know she relocated to Greenwich Village afterwards . As the creative queer hub of Manhattan at the fourth dimension , this was where she could discover herself freely and started dressingalmost exclusivelyin cleaning woman ’s clothing .
3. ThePstands for something important.
As part of her reinvention in New York City , Johnson renamed herself , choose the middle initial ofPfor “ Pay It No Mind . ” For Johnson , this was a life motto and a uncouth reception to relentlessly prize motion about her gender and sexuality . Before decide on theP , she identified herself as “ Black Marsha . ” Now , a non-profit-making endure her name , The Marsha P. Johnson Institute , works to protect and fight back the rights of Black transgender people .
4. She was a key figure in the Stonewall Uprising.
On June 28 , 1969 , several members of the homophile and trans community decide they would no longer stand for the regular and unjustpolice foray of The Stonewall Inn , a pop gay bar on Christopher Street in New York City , resulting in day of violence and riot .
Johnson , who had a history of pugnacious encounters with the police force , was identified as one of the participant during the uprising , and it conduct her to become an authoritative figure in the gay release movement in the United States moving forward . ( While many people claim she threw the first brick that set off the wow , she later insistedthat she show up after it began . )
5. Marsha P. Johnson became a well-known activist for LGBTQ+ causes.
too soon in its macrocosm , STARstaged a sit - into protestation New York University offset a dancing lead by a gay student group , causing the school day to overturn its conclusion . Johnson and Rivera also established the first STAR House , a preview that provided shelter for displaced member of the community . To fund the task , both Johnson and Rivera work at nighttime as sex workers . Johnson struggle with utilization discrimination her entire life , and this was her most reliable source of income .
In the 1980s , Johnson became a member of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power ( ACT UP ) , a grassroots system dedicated to ending the disease and providing aesculapian care for those in need .
6. She modeled for Andy Warhol.
A repair of the downtown art scene , Johnson was well bonk in her time , peculiarly for her elaborated floral coiffure and clunky red heels . course , she arrest the eye of Studio 54 aficionado and artistAndy Warhol . She modeled in a portrayal series for the artist in 1975 , whichsold for $ 6250at a Christie ’s auction sale in 2014 .
7. Questions still exist about her death.
Johnson ’s body was find in the Hudson Riveron July 6 , 1992 , near the Christopher Street wharfage , which was a populargathering placefor homosexual and trans folk at the clip . The NYPD in the beginning ruled her expiry a suicide , but it was changed in 2012 to be classified as “ undetermined . ” The NYPD has sinceclosedthe case .
Still , many of the questions skirt her death have beenleft unansweredand uninvestigated by police force . Various possibility subsist about what really happened to Johnson , with some believing it was a tragic accident and others saying she was murdered or fall into the river while being pursued . Through it all , those secretive to her assert that Johnson was never suicidal . In 2017 , journalist David France release the documentaryThe Life and Death of Marsha P. Johnson , which tackles many of these linger questions . It ’s currently streaming on Netflix .
8. A waterfront park in Brooklyn is named after her.
Brooklyn’sMarsha P. Johnson State Parkwas established in February 2020 to celebrate the local fighter , pass water it one of the few state parking area discover for an LGBTQ+ pioneer . Spanning seven acres along the East River in Williamsburg , the public space vaunt gorgeous views of the city and hostsfree community case , like a family - friendly drag queen story hour and a biz depository library .
A version of this tale in the beginning ran in 2022 ; it has been updated for 2023 .
Related Tags
