Happy Birhtday Marsha! - The Life and Legacy of Marsha P. Johnson

Trans* Lesson Plan

In this enlightening episode of the Trans* Lesson Plan Podcast, we explore the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of Marsha P. Johnson, a pivotal figure in LGBTQ+ history. Join us as we trace Johnson's journey from her early years in New Jersey to becoming a prominent activist at the Stonewall riots and co-founding Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR). We examine her contributions to AIDS activism, her mysterious death in 1992, and how her revolutionary spirit continues to inspire the ongoing fight for equality and justice.

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Link to Movie:

https://video.alexanderstreet.com/watch/happy-birthday-marsha

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References:

• Ashley, F., & Sanchinel, S. (2023). The Saint of Christopher Street: Marsha P. Johnson and the social life of a heroine. Feminist Review, 134(1), 39–55. https://doi.org/10.1177/01417789231166827
• Calafell, B. M. (2019). Narrative Authority, Theory in the Flesh, and the Fight over The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson. QED a Journal in GLBTQ Worldmaking, 6(2), 26–39. https://doi.org/10.14321/qed.6.2.0026
• Fm, W. (2020). Marsha P. Johnson. African American Activism and Political Engagement: An Encyclopedia. https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/wmpg_bhm/28/
• Kung, J. (2025, April 30). In the face of trans erasure, what can we learn from Marsha P. Johnson? NPR. https://www.npr.org/2025/04/30/1248091511/in-the-face-of-trans-erasure-what-can-we-learn-from-marsha-p-johnson
• Marsha Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and the history of Pride Month. (2021, June 7). Smithsonian Institution. https://www.si.edu/stories/marsha-johnson-sylvia-rivera-and-history-pride-month
• Marsha P. Johnson. (n.d.). National Women’s History Museum. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/marsha-p-johnson
• Marsha “Pay it no Mind” Johnson · Challenging Gender Boundaries: A Trans Biography Project by Students of Catherine Jacquet · OutHistory. (n.d.). OutHistory. https://outhistory.org/exhibits/show/tgi-bios/marsha-p-johnson
• Times, N. Y. (2024, August 30). Marsha P. Johnson, a transgender pioneer and activist. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/obituaries/overlooked-marsha-p-johnson.html
• Tourmaline. (2025). Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson. Penguin Group.
• Yang, J., Mufson, C., & Sunkara, S. (2023, June 18). Marsha P. Johnson’s historic role in the LGBTQ+ rights movement. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/marsha-p-johnsons-historic-role-in-the-lgbtq-rights-movement