Pride Month Spotlight: Marsha P. Johnson
In honor of Pride Month, BR Pride, Blank Rome’s LGBTQ+ affinity group, will be highlighting the contributions and achievements of Black LGBTQ individuals of the past and present.
This week, we are shining our spotlight on Marsha P. Johnson (1945–1992), an activist, performer, and prominent figure in the Stonewall uprising of 1969. Following the Stonewall uprising, Johnson joined the Gay Liberation Front and participated in the first Christopher Street Liberation Pride rally on the first anniversary of the Stonewall rebellion in June 1970.
Johnson stood at the center of New York City's gay liberation movement for nearly 25 years and was on the front lines of protests against oppressive policing. She helped found one of the country's first safe spaces for transgender and homeless youth. And, she advocated tirelessly on behalf of sex workers, prisoners, and people with HIV/AIDS. A popular figure in NYC’s art scene, Johnson modeled for Andy Warhol and performed onstage with the drag performance troupe, “Hot Peaches.” Known for decades as a welcoming presence in the streets of Greenwich Village, Johnson was known as the "mayor of Christopher Street."
Today, Johnson is remembered as one of the most significant activists for transgender rights, although the term "transgender" wasn't commonly used during her lifetime. Johnson identified as a "transvestite," gay, and a drag queen, and used she/her pronouns. Johnson would say that the “P” initial in her name stood for “Pay It No Mind,” which is what she would say in response to questions about her gender.
The Marsha P. Johnson Institute was founded in 2019 as a response to the murders of Black transgender women and women of color to elevate, support, and nourish the voices of Black transgender people. It protects and defends the human rights of Black transgender people by organizing, advocating, and creating a community to heal, develop transformative leadership, and promote collective power. More information about MPJI can be found on their website.