How two trans women of color sparked a revolution at Stonewall in 1969

Johnson and Rivera’s Revolutionary Partnership at Stonewall

In 1963, Marsha P. Johnson came to New York with just $15 and a dream.

Soon after, she met young Sylvia Rivera, who had run from home at age 11. Their bond grew strong as they faced life on the streets together.

When police raided the Stonewall Inn on June 28, 1969, both stood tall in the riots that sparked the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. A year later, they built STAR House, a safe place for homeless trans youth.

These two friends took in kids no one else wanted, fed them, and gave them hope.

The Stonewall National Monument now tells their story through an AR experience that brings these bold pioneers back to life.

Childhood Shaped Marsha’s Early Struggles

Malcolm Michaels Jr. was born on August 24, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey to working-class Black parents.

At age five, Malcolm started wearing dresses but stopped after kids bullied him and another child sexually assaulted him.

He found comfort at Mount Teman African Methodist Episcopal Church and kept his faith throughout life. After finishing high school in 1963, Malcolm planned to leave his small-minded hometown.

Family ties stayed tricky, though Malcolm kept some contact with relatives over the years.

Tragedy Struck Rivera’s Early Years

Sylvia Rivera was born on July 2, 1951, in New York City to a Puerto Rican father and Venezuelan mother. Her father left the family early, and her mother killed herself when Sylvia was just three.

Her Venezuelan grandmother took her in but beat her for acting feminine or wearing makeup. By fourth grade, Sylvia wore makeup to school anyway.

At only 11, she ran away from home and fell victim to sexual abuse while trying to survive on 42nd Street.

New York Welcomed a Future Icon with $15

Marsha moved to Greenwich Village in 1963 with just $15 and a bag of clothes after high school. She first worked as a waitress but couldn’t find steady work because people wouldn’t hire her.

Soon after arriving, she started wearing women’s clothing full-time and took the name “Marsha P. Johnson.”

She got “Johnson” from Howard Johnson’s restaurant, and when asked what the “P” meant, she’d say “Pay It No Mind. ” Marsha often had no home, sleeping in hotels, restaurants, movie theaters, or at friends’ places.

Two Souls Found Each Other on City Streets

Marsha, 17, met 11-year-old Sylvia around 1963 in Greenwich Village. Years later, Sylvia said, “Marsha was like a mother to me.”

Marsha taught Sylvia how to put on makeup, stay safe on the streets, and avoid trouble with police. Both women did sex work to survive, facing danger from violent clients and police almost daily.

Marsha became known for her beautiful flower crowns and colorful outfits she made from thrift store finds.

Stonewall Changed Everything That Summer Night

Police raided the Stonewall Inn on June 28, 1969, around 1:20 AM, setting off six days of riots. Marsha got there around 2 AM when fighting had already started, not at the beginning like some stories claim.

Both women joined the action, with tales of Marsha climbing a lamppost to drop a heavy bag onto a police car. Transgender women of color fought back hardest because they felt they had nothing more to lose.

This uprising sparked the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.

Their Activism Grew Stronger After The Riots

Marsha joined the Gay Liberation Front in September 1970 and walked in the first Pride march. Both women got frustrated when transgender people and people of color got pushed aside by mainstream gay groups.

They showed up at countless protests, sit-ins, and rallies throughout the early 1970s. People called Marsha the “mayor of Christopher Street” because she welcomed everyone in Greenwich Village.

Sylvia fought hard against efforts to keep transgender people out of the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act.

STAR Was Born From Necessity and Courage

Marsha and Sylvia started Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) in 1970 after joining the Weinstein Hall protest at NYU.

They built a group focused on fighting for transgender rights and helping homeless LGBTQ+ youth. Sylvia stepped up as president while Marsha served as vice president.

They took ideas from the Black Panther Party, pushing for free housing, healthcare, food, and education for all. STAR spoke out against the abuse transgender people faced both within and outside the LGBTQ+ community.

A Home For Those With Nowhere To Go

The first STAR House started in an old truck in Greenwich Village. Later, they moved to a run-down building on East 2nd Street that they tried to fix up.

About 20 homeless transgender youth found shelter there, with Marsha and Sylvia caring for them like parents.

The two women paid for everything through begging and sex work while making sure everyone had meals and felt safe. After eight months, they lost the house when they couldn’t pay the rent.

They Refused To Be Silenced By Anyone

When 1973 Pride march organizers banned drag queens, Marsha and Sylvia marched ahead of the official parade anyway.

Sylvia grabbed a microphone at a Pride event and told the crowd, “If it wasn’t for the drag queen, there would be no gay liberation movement.” The crowd booed both women off stage.

STAR broke up in 1973, according to Sylvia, leading her to try suicide in 1974. Marsha kept up her activism with ACT UP in the 1980s, focusing on the AIDS crisis.

Personal Demons Followed Their Public Battles

Sylvia tried to kill herself in 1974 and left New York City to work in food service in Tarrytown. Doctors told Marsha she had HIV in 1990, and she talked openly about it to help reduce the shame around the disease.

After Marsha died, Sylvia came back to NYC in the early 1990s and lived on a pier with no home. Both women faced ongoing housing problems, mental health issues, and struggles with substance abuse.

Through all their personal hardships, they never stopped fighting for transgender rights and visibility.

Their Work Lives On Today

Marsha was found dead in the Hudson River on July 6, 1992.

Police first called it suicide but later changed it to “undetermined” after pressure from friends who suspected murder. Sylvia died on February 19, 2002, from liver cancer complications at just 50 years old.

Before her death, Sylvia brought STAR back to life in 2001 after transgender woman Amanda Milan was murdered. Today, monuments, parks, and organizations carry their names.

The groundwork they laid for transgender rights and LGBTQ+ inclusion continues to shape movements for equality across America.

Visiting Stonewall National Monument, New York

You can visit Stonewall National Monument at 51 Christopher Street between Waverly Place and 7th Avenue South. It’s open Tuesday through Sunday from 10am-4pm with free entry.

Inside, you’ll find the original brick archway from the former Stonewall Inn spaces and a 1967 Rowe AMI jukebox replica with tokens from the welcome desk.

The West Wall panels show first-hand accounts curated by Stonewall pioneer Mark Segal. Groups of 10+ can book guided tours two weeks ahead.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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