Marsha
Books | Biography & Autobiography / LGBTQ
Tourmaline
THE NATIONAL BESTSELLERFeatured in The New York Times's Nonfiction to Read This SpringBlack 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.“She is the preeminent and foremost scholar on Marsha P. Johnson. . . . To us, Tourmaline is the expert.”—Janet Mock, Allure“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.
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Author
Tourmaline
Pages
320
Publisher
Penguin
Published Date
2025-05-20
ISBN
0593185684 9780593185681
Community ReviewsSee all
"MANY thanks to the author Tourmaline and Tiny Reparations Books/Penguin Random House for providing an e-ARC via NetGalley.<br/><br/>This book is more than a biography. It is an honoring, a revelation and a devotion.<br/><br/><i>"As we reconstruct her roles in moments of pivotal history, it is alright— beautiful , even—to allow for a variety of narratives to emerge, like different varieties of the same type of flower-a prickly wild rose, a field rose, a cabbage rose, a memorial rose... Let the seeds emerge, bloom, disperse."</i><br/><br/>Tourmaline handles the yoked truths of Marsha P. Johnson, those who knew, worked alongside and loved her with utmost care and reverence. She paints a panoramic and vivid picture of Marsha, the history and personal experiences that made her and what her own life brought to BIPOC, Queer and Trans peers and descendants. <i>MARSHA</i> demystifies her life while holding her as activist, artist, human and divine.<br/><br/>As the title promises and without shying away from the harsh realities of her life, Tourmaline succeeds at showing both the defiance and joy Marsha wielded that continue to reshape the world. These pages glitter and bloom with her vision, activism, faith, heart and life.<br/><br/><i>“It is a gift to see the world through Marsha's eyes. In order to change the harshest conditions-to survive in a world not designed for your survival; to believe in your dignity amid constant disempowerment, violence, and loss-you have to be able to see beyond what is right in front of you. Instead, you need to see into what is possible: what might have been, what could be, what will be.”</i><br/><br/>We are forever grateful for this gift. We continue to honor your legacy, Saint Marsha "Pay It No Mind" Johnson."
Brandon Moulden
