Marsha P. Johnson was a trailblazing Black transgender activist, drag performer, and a central figure in the LGBTIQ+ rights movement. She co-founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) with Sylvia Rivera in 1970 to support homeless trans and queer youth, and played a pivotal role in the Stonewall uprising of 1969. Her radiant spirit and defiant visibility made her a muse for Andy Warhol’s 1975 Ladies and Gentlemen series—a collection of silkscreen portraits celebrating trans women and drag queens, primarily of color. Though Warhol only created two portraits of Marsha, her presence in the series stands as a powerful testament to her charisma, passion and resilience amid systemic marginalization. Read more in this article from Revolver.

Ladies and Gentlemen (Marsha P. Johnson), 1975 Screenprint by Andy Warhol