Marsha P. Johnson

Location: New York City, New York
Cause of Death: Drowned
Date of Death: July 6, 1992
Source: Dallas Denny of GEA
Notes: Though the police ruled her death a suicide, she was not suicidal, and had been harassed near the spot her body was found.

Remembering Marsha

Marsha “P.” Johnson fought back against the police during the Stonewall Rebellion. The “P” stood for “Pay it no mind!” Marsha was photographed by Warhol and was part of the Hot Peaches Review.

She was a source of strength and pride to me and many, many others in the drag, transgender, and lesbian and gay communities.

Marsha was found floating in the Hudson River near the piers in New York City shortly after the 1992 Pride March. The police “investigation” reportedly consisted of two phone calls, and they ruled her death a suicide. A people’s postering campaign dug up reports that Marsha had been harassed near the piers earlier that evening.

From Transgender Warriors: Making History from Joan of Arc to RuPaul, by Leslie Feinberg (Boston, Beacon Press, 1996). Used with permission of the author and the publisher.

Do you have more information on this person that you would like to see here? If so, please write to gwen@gender.org, with a subject line of “remembering our dead.”

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