Marsha P. Johnson

Born: 1945-08-24

Marsha P. Johnson (August 24, 1945 – July 6, 1992) was an American gay liberation activist and self-identified drag queen. Known as an outspoken advocate for gay rights, Johnson was one of the prominent figures in the Stonewall uprising of 1969. Johnson was a founding member of the Gay Liberation Front and co-founded the radical activist group Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (S.T.A.R.), alongside close friend Sylvia Rivera. Popular in New York gay life, Johnson was also active in the City's art scene, modeling for Andy Warhol, and appearing onstage with the drag performance troupe Hot Peaches. Johnson was known as the "mayor of Christopher Street" for being a welcoming presence in the streets of Greenwich Village. Beginning in 1987, Johnson was an AIDS activist with ACT UP. Johnson's body was found floating in the Hudson River in 1992. While initially ruled a suicide by the NYPD, controversy and protest followed the case, eventually re-opened as a possible homicide.


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The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2017-07-27

Describing herself as a 'street queen,' Johnson was a legendary fixture in New York City’s gay...

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The Stroll

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2023-01-23

The history of New York’s Meatpacking District, told from the perspective of transgender sex...

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Pay It No Mind: Marsha P. Johnson

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2012-10-15

Marsha P. Johnson was a drag queen, sex worker, and LGBT activist who fought at Stonewall and...

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Happy Birthday, Marsha!

as Self (archival footage)
Released: 2018-03-10

It's a hot summer day in June, 1969. Marsha throws herself a birthday party and dreams of...

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We've Been Around

as uncredited
Released: 2016-03-01

In this documentary, director Rhys Ernst tells the previously untold histories of transgender...

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Reel in the Closet

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2015-06-21

Never before seen home movies made by queer people dating back to the 1930s and the struggle to...

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ANOHNI Live Experiencce

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2023-07-06

Live Experience of ANOHNI's latest album, 'My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross', with films by...

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Pollinator

as self (archive footage)
Released: 2023-11-23

The artist walks through a garden, with additional footage featuring Black trans activist Marsha...

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Trailblazer Honors

as Self - Honoree (archive footage)
First aired: 2014-06-27

One-hour annual event that celebrates leaders at the forefront of LGBTQ equality.

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