Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson

by Tourmaline Tiny Reparations Books 5/20/2025, hardcover SKU: 9780593185667   Black transgender luminary Tourmaline brings to life the first definitive biography of the revolutionary activist Marsha P. Johnson, one of the most important and remarkable figures in LGBTQIA+ history, revealing her story, her impact, and her legacy. "Thank god the revolution has begun, honey." Rumor has it that after Marsha P. Johnson threw the first brick in the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, she picked up a shard of broken mirror to fix her makeup. Marsha, a legendary Black transgender activist, embodied both the beauty and the struggle of the early gay rights movement. Her work sparked the progress we see today, yet there has never been a definitive record of her life. Until now. Written with sparkling prose, Tourmaline's richly researched biography Marsha finally brings this iconic figure to life, in full color. We vividly meet Marsha as both an activist and artist: She performed with RuPaul and with the internationally renowned drag troupe The Hot Peaches. She was a muse to countless artists from Andy Warhol to the band Earth, Wind & Fire. And she continues to inspire people today. Marsha didn't wait to be freed; she declared herself free and told the world to catch up. Her story promises to inspire readers to live as their most liberated, unruly, vibrant, and whole selves. Reviews: "Finally! A full-fledged biography of trans icon Marsha P. Johnson that fleshes out the substance of a remarkable life too often reduced to a glib name-check. Tourmaline delivers the goods with a verve that will help all of us all pay Marsha some mind." -- Susan Stryker, author of Transgender History "Loving, beautiful, and honest, Marsha tells a story of jubilation fighting darkness, while revealing a vast world of queer, trans life that has always been there for those willing to see." -- Robin D. G. Kelley, author of Thelonious Monk and Freedom Dreams "In this forceful, passionate, and unique tribute to the legacy and life of Marsha P. Johnson, Tourmaline brings Marsha to life and changes our collective memories with this devoted preservation of the community, the grassroots, friendships, and the will of the Black transwoman individual. A celebration of every queer who willed her self-understanding into reality, told with love and alchemy." -- Sarah Schulman, author of The Fantasy and Necessity of Solidarity and Let the Record Show About the Author: Tourmaline is an award-winning artist, filmmaker, writer, and activist whose work is dedicated to Black trans joy and freedom. She is a TIME 100 Most Influential Person in the World awardee and a Guggenheim Fellow. She has frequently appeared on ABC News, as well as in the New York Times and Vogue. Her art is in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Tate, and the Getty Museum. She created the critically acclaimed film Happy Birthday, Marsha!, and she has directed Pride campaigns for Dove, Marc Jacobs, and Reebok. She previously worked with Queers for Economic Justice and the Sylvia Rivera Law Project. She lives in Miami, Florida.