A new gateway entrance to Marsha P. Johnson State Park in Brooklyn has been unveiled. The ornamental gateway at the Kent Avenue and North Eighth Street entrance will welcome approximately 1.6 million park visitors each year. The bold and artful park entrance is intended to communicate Marsha P. Johnson's spirit and legacy and complement the surrounding neighborhood.
"Marsha P. Johnson was a pioneer who took a stand for justice, fought for equal rights, and ultimately altered the trajectory of New York State history," Governor Kathy Hochul said. "This new gateway entrance will allow visitors to pay tribute to her contributions to this state and country while enjoying the greenery of Brooklyn and sweeping Manhattan skyline views.”
Formerly East River State Park, the facility was renamed in Marsha P. Johnson's honor in February 2020. The new gateway builds upon other improvements made to the park, including extensive new landscaping and a Park House to host educational and community programming. Park visitors will also be able to view a new native species garden that includes perennial plants and 'Marsha's hillside' to honor Johnson's love of nature. Marsha P. Johnson State Park is now home to a new great lawn; dozens of new trees; permeable pathways and new park furnishings. The park honors the LGBTQ+ civil rights trailblazer with permanent interpretive panels documenting Johnson's life, work, and community.
“Marsha P. Johnson State Park is a monument to Black, queer, and trans liberation; it is a tribute to beauty and nature; and it is a reminder that our work to create a Brooklyn for all is ongoing," Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso said. "I am excited that today this beautiful park gained an equally joyous gateway. Thank you to New York State Parks for making this tribute to Marsha P. Johnson even more special. And to the North Brooklyn parks advocates — I am grateful for your efforts to care for the park, helping to ensure it remains a green refuge for and by the people who call our borough home.”
The seven-acre waterfront park located along the East River in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn offers visitors a stunning view of the Manhattan skyline as well as green space for recreation and relaxation. The park remains free and open to the public.
New York State Executive Chamber Edie Windsor, Marsha P. Johnson, and Sylvia Rivera LGBTQ Fellow Jea Frasier said, "Marsha P. Johnson's legacy is not only about advancing civil rights for the trans community, but also making sure we remember as trans people that we deserve beauty and joy in our lives. Just like Marsha's flower crowns, this gateway is a testament to that beauty. It feels special to be welcomed into a state park bearing the name of a powerful Black trans woman who led the way for so many of us. I hope she is feeling delight looking down on it today."
