But I will say I don't think that this is just a moment for Black trans people. Marsha P. Johnsons Best Friend Was A Fellow Pioneer,Vogue UK, June 13, 2020,https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/who-was-sylvia-rivera. And that's something other LGBTQ+ folks, particularly white ones, need to understand. She also created and wore elaborate crowns of fresh flowers. Note: Marshas life story includes a large amount of vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to teachers and students. Lee: Raquel, thank you so much for joining me. And so in the wake of the Stonewall riots, there was an entire web of nonprofit organizations that sprang out of that, right? Yet this was not the first time Rivera was directly involved in activism. In 2012, the New York City Police Department finally agreed to re-open it, yet the case still remains unsolved. Is there a confluence there? You can't say that it's about having a particular set of chromosomes. To celebrate Pride month and to honor the current protests in our country, here are nine of Marsha P. Johnson's most timeless quotes. A heads up: some of the fan-made artwork is available for purchase and goes towards a good cause. RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU "I was no one, nobody, from Nowheresville, until I became a drag queen." ' In 2001, she was marching in New York City Pride Parades and living in Transy House. I got a chance to talk with Raquel Willis, a Black transgender activist and the director of communications for the Ms. Foundation, a nonprofit fighting for women's rights. The Sylvia Rivera Law Project continues her legacy, working to guarantee all people are free to self-determine their gender identity and expression, regardless of income or race, and without facing harassment, discrimination, or violence. The intersection of Christopher and Hudson streets in Greenwich Village, two blocks from The Stonewall Inn, was renamed Sylvia Rivera Way. In 2015, a portrait of Rivera was added to the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., making her the first transgender activist to be included in the gallery. I mean, I think things have definitely shifted in the last few years of my career. She also did not have a permanent home during this time, and bounced around sleeping at friends homes, hotels, restaurants, and movie theaters. The Stonewall Inn uprising was also a turning point in the visibility of the gay rights movement. The case involving Marshas death remained closed for decades. Why do you think Marshas life has started to gain more attention in recent years? It was difficult for Marsha to find work. Marsha taught Sylvia how to apply makeup, live on the street, and look out for trouble. Together, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera continue to inspire the fight for justice that has not been won. 2021.www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/Sylvia-Rivera. In 1975, artist Andy Warhol crossed paths with Marsha and photographed her for his Ladies and Gentleman series. And that's also something that Black cisgender and straight people need to understand as well. June 7, 1999. Immediately after graduating from Thomas A. Edison High School, Johnson moved to New York City with one bag of clothes and $15. For six nights, the 17-year-old Rivera refused to go home or to sleep, saying Im not missing a minute of thisit's the revolution!, Rivera resisted arrest and subsequently led a series of protests against the raid. Thank you for having me. While it was in use during Marshas life, this term is now considered offensive and has been replaced with other terminology, such as transgender. She slept in hotel rooms, restaurants, and movie theaters. So is it proximity, or is there actually a different dynamic happening there? As one of few women and Asian musicians in the jazz world, Akiyoshi infused Japanese culture, sounds, and instruments into her music. There are plenty of cis women who don't check off a lot of criterias that are considered womanhood. She was excited about the work but frustrated at how white gay men and lesbians dominated the conversation. As they watched their kids jump from a moving truck, Marsha and Sylvia realized they needed a real home. MARSHA P WebMarsha P. Johnson: The way I winded up being at Stonewall that night, I was having a party uptown. But when it comes to this kind of allyship, especially when we're talking about Black people, right, what does it take? At Marshas funeral, hundreds of people showed up. Rivera had an incredibly difficult childhood. One morning, they returned to the truck just as it was pulling away with STAR residents sleeping inside. Rivera said in a 1995 interview with The New York Times of participating in this parade, the movement had put me on the shelf, but they took me down and dusted me offStill, it was beautiful. I mean, I wish I could say yes, but Black cis folks are not doing enough. 12 Best Marsha P. Johnson Quotes About LGBTQ+ Rights - Good What were the circumstances around Marshas death? The story of a leader in social, environmental, and political activism and first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. So you can't really say that womanhood is based in the ability to procreate as a woman. Acronym for Auto Immune Deficiency Disorder. Abrams is now one of the most prominent African American female politicians in the United States. Crowd: Black trans lives matter. She started Transy House, modeled off STAR House, in 1997 in Park Slope, Brooklyn. And from those earliest days, people had concerns about Black folks, brown folks, people who are incarcerated, and of course trans people because we were seen as not in line with some of the assimilationist goals of many of those early movement figures. Happy Birthday, Marsha Chicago Rothberg, Emma. My name is Todd Bishop. 'Cause when I got downtown, the place was already on fire and it was a raid already. Soon, Marsha was attending rallies, sit-ins, and meetings of the newly formed Gay Liberation Front. Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Alexander Street is an imprint of ProQuest that promotes teaching, research, Marsha Pay it no Mind Johnson Challenging Gender Astronaut Ellen Ochoa, mission specialist, carries her son Wilson Miles-Ochoa following the STS-96 crew return at Ellington Field. Sylvia and Marsha hustled every night to make sure their new family had breakfast each morning. I mean how many years does it take people to see that? 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. Johnson became known as much for her activism as for her attention-grabbing wardrobe, often complete with red plastic heels, colorful wigs and flowers and fruit in her hair. Perhaps you could say that trans people may have a more drastic experience, but it's so connected to the ways that boys and men in general are told that they can't have a certain well of emotion, that they can't be intimate and have other ways of moving through the world that don't involve control and domination. Look no further than our guide. Brayla was just 17. 'Cause we're all caught up in it. She returned to the city in 1992 after the death of Johnson. MARSHA P. JOHNSON "You Gotta Have Soul !" - YouTube Along with Marsha P. Johnson, Rivera started the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) around 1971. How can food be used as a form of cultural memory & resistance? You know, we need the community organizers, and activists, and all those types of stories as well, and we don't often get that. The LGBTQ community was furious the police did not investigate her death. Do you disentangle your identity like that? Sylvia Rivera. National Womens History Museum. Rivera was born in New York City in 1951 to a father from Puerto Rico and a mother from Venezuela. And that's part of why I have an issue with the way that we have framed violence as simply something that happens from the state, something that happens from police officers who are white that overwhelmingly happens to cisgender heterosexual men. She actively spoke out about the transphobia in the early gay rights movement. reinc: The story of a company founded by four US Womens National Team soccer players seeking to challenge norms and inspire lasting progress. The Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act (SONDA), New York State Office of the Attorney General,https://ag.ny.gov/civil-rights/sonda-brochure. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Almost 30 years on from her death, Johnson is getting the attention she was denied when she was alive, with tales of Her partner, Julia Murray, was with her at the time of her death. 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. Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, ca. Willis: No. I think when you're close to people it does hurt in a particular way. How Nan Goldin Waged War Against Big Pharma, How the Greensboro Four Began the Sit-In Movement, Biography: You Need to Know: Bayard Rustin, Biography: You Need to Know: Sylvia Rivera, Biography: You Need to Know: Dorothy Pittman Hughes. Quiz Bowl 2023 - 1A Sacred Heart vs. Norfork - PBS WebToday, historians and former friends of Marsha describe her as a trans woman. She also found work waiting tables and performing in drag shows. WebOn what would have been Marsha P Johnsons 77th birthday, the founder of the institute that bears her name discusses her powerful, often misunderstood legacy. So, like, what are you doin'? I'm Trymaine Lee. is a 2017 fictional short film that imagines the gay and transgender rights pioneers Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera in the hours that led up to the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City. It was written, directed, and produced by Tourmaline and Sasha Silvia Rivera died of liver cancer in St. Vincents Manhattan Hospital in 2002 at the age of 50. 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? We kept the building going. And the circumstances around his case admittedly are very murky. Lee: Marsha P. Johnson was born on August 24, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. When a Warhol screen-print of Marsha went on display in a Greenwich Village store, Marsha took some friends to see it. Who Is Trans TikTok Influencer Dylan Mulvaney? (CHEERING). This video was created by the New-York Historical Society Teen Leaders in collaboration with the Untold project. Darling, I want my gay rights now. In 2020, New York State named a waterfront park in Brooklyn after Marsha. She used she/her pronouns. Willis: Of course. But the fight for protection and inclusion back then is so similar to the fight we are seeing today. Marsha spent most of her life without a permanent home. She asked Marsha to help her create a place where they could feel safe, unite, and fight for their rights. 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. Rights for LGBTQ+ people were limited and sometimes ignored completely. Invite students to. Willis: I think it's all of the above. says peoples pronouns should When a Warhol screen-print of Marsha went on display in a Greenwich Village store, Marsha took some friends to see it. The Rudy Grillo Collection, Rudy Grillo / LGBT Community Center Archive. Show all 45 During her speech at her New York gig, the "Born This Way" singer also celebrated transgender activist Marsha P Johnson, who played a pivotal role in the Stonewall riots. series. Marsha P Lee: Black trans women in particular have been an important of the gay rights movement since the Stonewall uprising in 1969 in New York City. Police then reclassified the case as a drowning from undetermined cause, but the LGBTQ+ community was furious that the police refused to investigate further and that many press outlets did not cover her death. And we saw just from the turnout for the Rally for Black Trans Lives that there is momentum there also. New York State still persecuted gay people and frequently criminalized their activities and presence. Episode Cemetery Name: Marsha P. Johnson grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, with her mother. Solly, Meilan, New York City Monument Will Honor Transgender Activists Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, Smithsonianmag.org, June 3, 2019,https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-york-city-monument-will-honor-transgender-activists-marsha-p-johnson-and-sylvia-rivera-180972326/. Today, historians and former friends of Marsha describe her as a trans woman. Thank you for joining the Goodnewsletter! Their rage was not just about the police. Once in New York, Johnson returned to dressing in clothing made for women and adopted the full name Marsha P. Johnson; the P stood for Pay It No Mind, a phrase that became her motto. The Importance of Dialogue, Development and Acceptance The story of a company founded by four US Womens National Team soccer players seeking to challenge norms and inspire lasting progress. We have been fighting to be respected, fighting to live for centuries. They were not only angered by the police raid but also the oppression and fear they experienced every day. NASA on The Commons, via flickr, Home / Growth and Turmoil, 1948-1977 / Growing Tensions / Life Story: Marsha P. Johnson. The movement did not appreciate the extent to which transgender youth needed help and support. #RFK Presidential Announcement w/ Shannon Joy. By Source, Fair use,https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38099161. Cooking for myself, right? Marsha had a reputation for being generous and kind. Invite students to research the ways in which Marshas legacy is being remembered today. During Marshas lifetime, the term transgender was not commonly used. Since then, Marsha has become an icon of the transgender community. Toshiko Akiyoshi changed the face of jazz music over her sixty-year career. Lee: We got COVID-19, white supremacy, uprisings. To learn more about Randy Wicker and Marsha P. Johnson, click here to access the episode notes from our original episode featuring the two activists. Smithsonian Institute Archives Image # SIA 2010-1509. Willis: I don't know. When they could no longer pay, they were evicted. Despite her popularity, Marsha also lived a life of poverty and danger. She began performing with the drag group, Hot Peaches. She attracted the attention of many, including the pop artist Andy Warhol who included her in a series of prints in 1975 entitled Ladies and Gentlemen. In an interview Johnson did for a 1972 book, she said her ambition was to see gay people liberated and free and to have equal rights that other people have in America. She wanted to see her gay brothers and sisters out of jail and on the streets again. In another interview, she said as long as gay people dont have their rights all across Americathere is no reason for celebration. In 1980, she was invited to ride in the lead car of the Gay Pride Parade in New York City. And we were all out there. Steve Lickteig is executive producer of audio. The first STAR House was in the back of an abandoned truck in Greenwich Village. Lee: I always wonder, and I had been a police reporter for a long time, so I've covered all kinds of crimes. The store owners called her riffraff and threw her out. [4]The transgender women at Stonewall were pushed out of the gay rights movement. I actually think we're more powerful when we have numbers. Throughout the 1970s, Johnson became a more visible and prominent member of the gay rights movement. She brought some serious thoughts to this gay audience. Show more Show more I'm not too friendly with them. The troubles she experienced as a child followed her into adulthood. Meilan Solly, New York City Monument Will Honor Transgender Activists Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, Smithsonian Magazine, June 3, 2019, Hugh Ryan, Power to the People: Exploring Marsha P. Johnsons Queer Liberation,. And you said, "Let today be the last day that you ever doubt Black trans power.". Her lavish outfits were often made from thrift store finds, gifts from friends, and items she found on the street. Marsha P. Johnson was a proud and outspoken member of the LGBTQ+ community before it was popular to be so. What was STAR, and why was it so important? While short-lived, STAR House was an important space for those who needed it. The film stars Mya Taylor as Johnson and Eve Lindley as Rivera.. If you walked down Christopher Street, Marsha would receive you in the manner of a gracious host. And it also of course extends to folks who are nonbinary or gender nonconforming who straddle all of these struggles. And so we've got to understand that. Lee: And I don't want to necessarily use the word hurt. The term transgender wasnt commonly used in Marshas lifetime, but she identified as a transvestite, gay and a drag queen and used she/her pronouns. It feels like a revolution. Willis: I don't think so. It feels like a different time. Are you Black first? Johnson described herself as a gay person, a transvestite, and a drag queen and used she/her pronouns; the term transgender only became commonly used after her death. 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. With public installations already being implemented, the plan is to complete renovations by 2021. I walked down 58th Street and the young ones were calling from the sidewalk, 'Sylvia, Sylvia, thank you, we know what you did. But there's still a lot of work to be done. "Don't you got money to make?". We can educate you, learn the history. Then when you get pregnant or something, they don't even want to know you., On Paying It Forward: Ill always be known [for] reaching out to young people who have no one to help them out, so I help them out with a place to stay or some food to eat or some change for their pocket. When we're talking to white people about white supremacy, we could say, "Read how to be an antiracist," right?