Franois (Franz) Fleischbein (artist), Portrait of Betsy, 1837. Yet this was not the first time Rivera was directly involved in activism. WebIn December 1970, Liza Cowan of WBAI sat down with membersation a the newly formed Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (or S Marsha P. Johnson was one of the most prominent figures of the gay rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s in New York City. 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. Willis: No, I think that we have to find pockets of joy. Their tireless efforts continue to resonate as issues surrounding the health, safety, and autonomy of Black, Brown, and Indigenous Trans women are still challenged. Now they are getting a statue in New York, Brooklyns East River State Park renamed in honor of late LGBTQ activist and trans icon Marsha P. Johnson. They rented a dilapidated building with no electricity or running water. Together, they started raising their voices. But there's still a lot of work to be done. Why do you think Marshas life has started to gain more attention in recent years? Sylvia Rivera | National Women's History Museum ' In 2001, she was marching in New York City Pride Parades and living in Transy House. And they never forget it. Diana Davies/Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library, By Alexandra Burgos for NPS Cultural Landscapes Program, [1] Marsha P. Johnson, a black transgender woman, was a central figure in the gay liberation movement I think some people try to. 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. Gertrude Kasebier, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Wells, Anna Julia Cooper were sidelined as Black women. 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. And it's not just Black trans women. But I don't know if we'll even completely know we're in a revolution probably until maybe it's almost over, right? Rivera ran away from home at age 11 and became a victim of sexual exploitation around 42nd Street. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Johnson, an African American self-identified drag queen and activist, was also battling exclusion in a movement for gay rights that did not embrace her gender expression. 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. 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 Marsha Pay it no Mind Johnson Challenging Gender There's only one thing they want to get up your dress. The Importance of Dialogue, Development and Acceptance The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson. At Marshas funeral, hundreds of people showed up. She was excited about the work but frustrated at how white gay men and lesbians dominated the conversation. Not long after arriving in New York, 17-year-old Marsha met 11-year-old Sylvia Rivera. Lee: Raquel, thank you so much for joining me. Well, I know how to handle them. I've been around them for years, from working the streets. Lee: Raquel, thank you so much for your time. (LAUGH) I almost don't--, Lee: Right. Chien-shiung Wu (1912-1997), professor of physics at Columbia University, 1963. All Rights Reserved. no. She also encouraged Sylvia to love herself and her identity. New-York Historical Society Library. For me, I found joy in having a chance to connect with the people closest to me in new ways, in deeper ways, reminding myself to take a walk not only for exercise but for the fresh air. It was about the oppression and fear they felt every single day. It was difficult for Marsha to find work. Raised by her grandmother, Rivera began experimenting with clothing and makeup at a young age. In 1990, Marsha contracted AIDS. How do you actually navigate those spaces? I think when you're close to people it does hurt in a particular way. The store owners called her riffraff and threw her out. 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 Now they are getting a statue in New York I feel like what fuels a lot of the violence that may happen from Black men towards Black women comes from an innate feeling of not being man enough for whatever reason. 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. WebMarsha was a fixture in the West Village, known and adored by everybody. Explore our collection of the best LGBTQ+ Pride quotes. Like, we all carry insecurities about our gender, about who we are and who we're supposed to be in the world. So, I mean, there are so many ways in which the argument against trans women being women also erases swaths of cisgender women who don't have those particular experiences. Assigned male at birth, Johnson grew upin an African American, working-class family. IE 11 is not supported. She was identified as male at birth. One morning, they returned to the truck just as it was pulling away with STAR residents sleeping inside. A person who identifies with the sex they were assigned at birth. No matter how marginalized you are, you can still be an oppressor. The best email in your inbox.Filled with the days best good news. Cemetery Name: Marsha P. Johnson grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, with her mother. Johnson enjoyed wearing clothes made for women and wore dresses starting at age five. And sometimes it seems obviously clear that this person was killed because they were trans. Willis: And so let today be the last day which 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. We have been fighting to be respected, fighting to live for centuries. What opportunities did she find? When she was wearing these items Marsha P. Johnson. National Womens History Museum. Is it education? Shes said that the town had zero tolerance for LGBTQ people and as a The two became instant friends. Chicago Rothberg, Emma. You know, I think about how more work needs to be done at our colleges and universities, in our Greek organizations, in our professional organizations, in the Congressional Black Caucus. In the wake of the raid, Johnson and Rivera led a series of protests. I don't trust men that much anymore., On the Fight for Freedom: No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us., On Her Reputation: I know people think Im a stupid little street queen out there begging for change cause theres nothing else she knows how to do., On Gender Roles: I'm very comfortable around straight men. [5]Brooklyns East River State Park renamed in honor of late LGBTQ activist and trans icon Marsha P. Johnson, Download the official NPS app before your next visit, "From the Vault: Sylvia Rivera & Marsha P. Johnson, 1970," Making Gay History Podcast, Marsha P. Johnsons Activism Matters Now More Than Ever, Site Renderings for Marsha P. Johnson State Park, LGBTQ America: A Theme Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer History, "These transgender icons will be the first to get statues in the US", "'The Death And Life Of Marsha P. Johnson' Shows Fight For Social Justice Isn't Finished", "Two Transgender Activists Are Getting a Monument in New York", Marsha P. Johnson, a black transgender woman, was a central figure in the gay liberation movement, Two Transgender Activists Are Getting a Monument in New York, These transgender icons will be the first to get statues in the US, The transgender women at Stonewall were pushed out of the gay rights movement. Marshas friends and acquaintances strongly disagreed. But then the fact that she had the energy to use her platform to demonize trans people, demonize a more marginalized group of women is problematic to me, but it's also emblematic of white womanhood. I mean, I wish I could say yes, but Black cis folks are not doing enough. Willis: I absolutely do think that there is a confluence and overlap of LGBTQ+ liberation and Black liberation. The movement did not appreciate the extent to which transgender youth needed help and support. Into America is produced by Isabel Angel, Allison Bailey, Aaron Dalton, Max Jacobs, Barbara Raab, Claire Tighe, Aisha Turner, and Preeti Varathan. Today, historians and former friends of Marsha describe her as a trans woman. Lee: In 2020, New York State named a waterfront park in Brooklyn for Johnson. I found a little bit of joy having this complex, smart conversation with you. Once, she was even shot. Jen Carlson, Activists Install Marsha P. Johnson Monument in Christopher Park, Gothamist, August 25, 2021. reinc: The story of a company founded by four US Womens National Team soccer players seeking to challenge norms and inspire lasting progress. Describe Marshas and Sylvias friendship. Trymaine Lee: Last month, in the middle of Pride, thousands of people gathered in Brooklyn, New York for a rally for Black trans lives. Not long after, her body was pulled from the Hudson River near the West Village. 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. She gave people clothes and food, even though she had little of her own. After this experience, Rivera left New York City and activism behind for a bit. You know, when I had this recent conversation with my brother, I left the conversation, you know, I was angry and I was tearful 'cause it does hurt. The first Gay Pride Parade took place in 1970 and a series of gay rights groupsincluding the Gay Liberation Front, a more radical organization, and the Gay Activist Alliance, a more moderate and focused spin-off groupemerged. Willis: I don't think so. 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. The story of a transgender activist who participated in the Stonewall Uprising and fought for equal rights. She was given a place of honor in the 25th Anniversary Stonewall Inn march in 1994. In the 1970s, Johnson experienced a series of mental health breakdowns and spent time in and out of psychiatric hospitals. She questioned where transgender people fit in. Willis: First of all, anytime a celebrity tweets, I'm like, "How you got time for this?" In 2012, the New York Police Department reopened the case into Johnsons death. Thank you. When they could no longer pay, they were evicted. 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. Photo by Leonard Fink, Courtesy LGBT Community Center National History Archive, Leonard Fink, Courtesy of The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. So there's no way to talk about us getting to liberation without talking about Black trans people. Turns out we're not there. Thats what made me in New York, thats what made me in New Jersey, thats what made me in the world., On Changing History: History isn't something you look back at and say it was inevitable. Rights for LGBTQ+ people were limited and sometimes ignored completely. The story of a company founded by four US Womens National Team soccer players seeking to challenge norms and inspire lasting progress. Lee: How much does class play in all this?