ABOUT MARSHA

ABOUT MARSHA P. JOHNSON

 

Marsha P. Johnson was an activist, self-identified drag queen, performer, and survivor. She was a prominent figure in the Stonewall uprising of 1969. Marsha went by “BLACK Marsha” before settling on Marsha P. Johnson. The “P” stood for “Pay It No Mind,” which is what Marsha would say in response to questions about her gender. It is the consideration of who “BLACK Marsha” was that inspired The Marsha P. Johnson Institute.

So much of our understanding of Marsha came from the accounts of people who did not look like or come from the same place as her. As transness is now more accessible to the world, introducing the Institute to BLACK trans people who are resisting, grappling with survival, and looking for community has become a clear need.

 

Thank you to artist extraordinaire Kendrick Daye for creating and offering this collage of an image taken by Hank O’ Neal of Mother Marsha at NYC’s Pride march in 1977. You can find more of Kendrick’s work on Instagram at @kendrickdaye