Marsha P Johnson was a legend of Christopher Street, a revolutionary trans and LGBTQ+ activist, and a leading figure of Stonewall. Famed for her extravagant floral headdresses, her bright red plastic heels, and her generous spirit, Marsha made a name for herself not just as a drag queen, but as a mother to the queer street and trans youth who needed her. Together with her best friend, fellow trans activist Sylvia Rivera, she created STAR, the Street Transvestite (now Transgender) Action Revolutionaries, and advocated for the rights of the most marginalised of her community. Join us on the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots as we celebrate the life of one of Pride’s most important figures.

 

 

Brockell, Gillian “Marsha P Johnson: ‘America’s first transgender statue’ will immortalise Stonewall riots veteran.” Independent,  13 June 2019.  https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/marsha-p-johnson-transgender-statue-stonewall-new-york-lgbt-a8955766.html

Carter, David. Stonewall: The riots that sparked the gay revolution. Macmillan, 2004.

Chan, Sewell. “Marsha P. Johnson: A transgender pioneer and activist who was a fixture of Greenwich Village street life.” The New York Times, corrected 8 March 2018 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/obituaries/overlooked-marsha-p-johnson.html

France, David, director. The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson. Performance by Victoria Cruz, Marsha P. Johnson (archive), Sylvia Rivera (archive). Netflix.

Global Network of Sex Work Projects. “Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries found STAR House.” Global Network of Sex Work Projects, https://www.nswp.org/timeline/event/street-transvestite-action-revolutionaries-found-star-house

Kasino, Michael, director. Pay It No Mind: Marsha P Johnson. Performance by Martin Boyce, Jimmy Camicia, David Carter. Redux Pictures.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjN9W2KstqE

Naseef, Zoe. “Stonewall was Started by Trans Women of Colour and We Do Not Appreciate Them Nearly Enough.” Bust, https://bust.com/feminism/194711-sex-workers-pride.html

NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project (2017) Activism Before Stonewall https://www.nyclgbtsites.org/theme/activism-before-stonewall/

Riki Wilchins (March 5, 2002) ‘A Woman for Her Time: In Memory of Stonewall Warrior Sylvia Rivera’ The Village Voice https://web.archive.org/web/20060619094746/http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0209,wilchins,32645,1.html