Marsha P. Johnson's name isn't in most American history books, but it should be.

When a judge asked her about the "P" in her name, she responded that it stood for "Pay it no mind." The judge laughed and dismissed the charges against her.

Her persistence and advocacy made her one of the most significant figures in LGBTQ and AIDS activism.

The term "transgender" wasn't commonly used in Marsha's lifetime, but she identified as a "transvestite," gay and a drag queen and used she/her pronouns.

"I was no one, nobody, from Nowheresville, until I became a drag queen," she said in a 1992 interview.

She was a sex worker and was homeless throughout parts of her life, and her activism was rooted in her experiences.

These clashes with the New York police marked a turning point for the gay liberation movement in the US and inspired Pride marches around the world today.

Johnson worked as an activist participating in demonstrations and marches as part of the Gay Liberation Front, which formed in the wake of Stonewall. She was also an AIDS activist associated with the group ACT UP until her death.

More than 20 years after her death, Johnson is remembered for her vibrant smile, free spirit and her contributions to the fight for LGBTQ rights.

Billie Jean King: The equality champion

Tennis champion Billie Jean King has been a longtime pioneer on and off the court, using her status as a prominent athlete to champion gender equality and LGBTQ visibility.

After winning the US Open in 1972, she threatened to boycott the next year if men and women were not awarded the same prize money. Consequently, the tournament made the prize money the same for both sexes in 1973.

The matchup with Bobby Riggs was watched by millions, and King said she not only wanted to win, she had to win for the sake of gender equality.

Her career took a hit in 1981 after news leaked that she was in a secret relationship with another woman while she was married to a man.

She argued with her managers and lawyers to hold a press conference so she could control the message about her sexuality.

King divorced her husband in 1987 and is now with her longtime partner and fellow tennis champion, Ilana Kloss.

Harvey Milk: The pioneer politician

Harvey Milk was one of the first openly gay politicians elected to office in the United States, and the first openly gay official elected in California.

"We want gays to represent gays," Milk told the San Francisco Examiner in 1977, and his position as an LGBTQ public official helped bring the community's issues to prominence.

After moving from New York to California, Milk helped start one of the first predominantly LGBTQ-owned business groups in the country, the Castro Village Association, and he was elected to San Francisco's Board of Supervisors in 1977.

While Milk led pride marches and was widely known as a fighter for LGBTQ rights, he also fought for issues affecting the entire San Francisco population, including access for affordable housing and daycare for working mothers.

Milk was no stranger to death threats and acknowledged there was a possibility he would be assassinated. Less than a year after Milk's inauguration as city supervisor, he and Mayor George Moscone were shot to death in the San Francisco city hall by a former fellow city supervisor over a job dispute.

When his killer was sentenced to seven years, riots broke out over what many perceived to be a lenient sentence.

Audre Lorde: The warrior poet

Lorde described herself as a "black lesbian feminist mother warrior poet."

She was proud of every layer of her identity and used her own experiences to discuss the overlap between these communities.

Audre Lorde's words carry on her legacy and can be seen on signs during civil rights marches around the world. Her art changed the way many see feminism and emboldened women from all backgrounds.

Larry Kramer: The relentless activist

Larry Kramer turned his anger and grief into action.

He was in the proverbial trenches fighting for LGBTQ rights and organized AIDS activists even before he was diagnosed as HIV positive.

Kramer rose to prominence battling what he cited as negligence from the FDA and the US government. Kramer and the activists he demonstrated with were fueled by rage. They led demonstrations, blocked roads during rush hour and staged "die-ins" that grabbed media attention, eventually forcing the government to address the AIDS crisis and provide access to new treatment methods.

Kramer's controversial calls on activists to take the AIDS crisis into their own hands helped push the FDA to eventually approve the use and distribution of experimental drugs that helped save the lives of AIDS patients. Arguably, Kramer and ACT UP are the reason countless people are alive today, because without his relentless, merciless activism, AIDS would've continued to take the lives of many more than it does today.

RuPaul Charles: The queen of drag

RuPaul Charles was a key figure who brought drag out of the closet and into the mainstream.

Before RuPaul, drag was viewed as an obscure subculture. The art is now appreciated by the masses as a centerpiece for entertainment.

RuPaul's career and "Drag Race" acted as a springboard for other drag queens to make a living through performances and corporate sponsorships. His contributions to the LGBTQ community boil down to the impact he made as a pioneer in drag, and how "Drag Race" drastically changed the way millions of Americans view — and appreciate — a key facet of gay culture.