Google Doodle honors Marsha P. Johnson, LGBTQ+ activist

On June 30, Google is closing Pride Month out on a high note by honoring Marsha P. Johnson — a pioneer in LGBTQ+ rights activism.

Throughout the month of June, Google has taken numerous opportunities to celebrate Pride Month, including new grants to LGBTQ+ organizations like The Trevor Project, wallpapers for Android phones, and ringtones for Google Pixel devices. Now, for the final day of Pride Month, Google is taking a much larger step by replacing its homepage logo in many countries with a fantastic Doodle featuring Marsha P. Johnson.

From June 28 through July 3, 1969, Greenwich Village’s gay community rose up and fought back against police violence in response to New York police raiding the Stonewall Inn. Through the multiple days of rioting, leaders like Marsha P. Johnson shined through, forming the basis of the blossoming LGBTQ rights movement through organizations like STAR.

Elle Hearns, founder of the Marsha P. Johnson Institute — an organization dedicated to the cause of justice for Black transgender people — is particularly excited for how many people may be learning of Johnson for the first time through this Doodle.

For so long, Marsha’s history has only been heralded by the LGBTQ community. Today’s Doodle will help teach her story to many more around the world, and about the work that has been historically ignored and often purposely left out of history books. Today’s Doodle of Marsha reminds people that Black and LGBTQ+ history is bigger than just a month; it is something to be honored every single day.

Coinciding with the Doodle, Google is making a $500,000 donation to the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, which will “provide direct cash assistance to Black Trans people through the organization’s COVID-19 relief efforts.”
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