200 Years of LGBTQIA+ History

From Shadows to Pride — UK & Global Timeline

Source Record

Marsha P. Johnson

Why this source is used

National Women's History Museum biography of Marsha P. Johnson, including STAR House and activism.

Start with the answer

Start with the answer Which LGBTQ+ public figures changed visibility? They changed visibility in politics, science, activism and literature by showing that queer lives could be public, influential and historic. Read the topic guide Queer Public Trailblazers Queer public trailblazers made LGBTQ+ lives visible across science, civil rights, elected office and trans liberation, often while facing erasure or punishment.

Source Status

Publisher
National Women's History Museum
Type
archive
Reliability
high
Cited by
4 pages

Source Links

Open original source https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/marsha-p-johnson Accessed 2 June 2026 Open archived copy https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/marsha-p-johnson

Used by Topics

Queer Public Trailblazers

Used by Questions

Which LGBTQ+ public figures changed visibility?

Used by Timeline Events

24 August 1945 ActivismTransCulturalPeople

Marsha P. Johnson — Birth of a Trans Icon and Activist

Marsha P. Johnson was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Johnson would become one of the most prominent figures in LGBTQ+ history as a trans woman, drag performer, and activist. A key figure at the Stonewall uprising of 1969, Johnson co-founded STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries) with Sylvia Rivera in 1970, providing shelter and support for homeless transgender youth and sex workers in New York City. The 'P' in Johnson's name stood for 'Pay It No Mind' — the response given when asked about gender.
July 1970 ActivismTransPeople

Sylvia Rivera Co-Founds STAR — Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries

Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson co-founded STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries), one of the first organisations in the world dedicated to helping homeless transgender youth. Rivera, a Venezuelan-Puerto Rican trans woman, had been present at the Stonewall riots in 1969 and was a fierce advocate for the most marginalised members of the LGBTQ+ community. STAR provided housing, food, and support to young trans people and drag queens living on the streets of New York. Rivera fought tirelessly against the exclusion of trans people from the mainstream gay rights movement, famously confronting attendees at the 1973 Christopher Street Liberation Day rally.