RON HENGGELER |
December 9, 2022
At the Oasis in San Francisco
The Story of Mama José Sarria
In Celebration of her 100th Birthday
On Saturday December 3rd, my friend Stephen and I attended an event at the Oasis in San Francisco.
The Imperial Court of San Francisco organized a birthday tribute to their founder José Sarria.
The evening event was held at the Oasis bar in San Francisco, and celebrated 10 decades of José's life in four acts.
Each act featured stories, performances, and testimonials from two or three decades.
Act 1, was José's youth 1920s - 1940s.
Act 2, was José’s art and activism 1950s - 1960s.
Act 3, was José in his prime 1970s to the 1990s.
Act 4, dealt with Jose's Legacy 2000s - 2020s, and featured José's State Funeral at Grace Cathedral.
The photos that I had taken in 2013 at José Sarria's State Funeral were projected as a slide show, while vocalist Alotta Boutté sang a moving song on stage.
The photos of the funeral, combined with the Alotta Boutté singing, made the final Act 4 one of the most poignant moments of the evening.
The program cover from Saturday's event at the Oasis |
The Grand Mere, Absolute Empress I de San Francisco, the Widow Norton, José; a proud openly gay Latino, drag queen, and one of the great iconic American pioneering political activists and leaders of the modern-day LGBT civil rights and social justice movements, gracefully and peacefully passed on from this life after a long battle with cancer at his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico at 7:02 AM on Monday, Aug. 19, 2013, in his 90th year blessing this earth.From: sfimperialcouncil.org |
The Imperial Council of San Francisco hosts and participates in a variety of entertainment and educational events, and activities to raise monies, which support the causes of other diverse community-based charitable organizations that do not discriminate based upon race, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion or ethnic background.Their intent is to allow membership to any individual or organization. Though our primary membership is drawn from the LGBT culture we believe everyone has the right of inclusion and the desire to help their community.From: sfimperialcouncil.org |
An evening of stories, performances, and testimonials in four acts. |
The Imperial Council of San Francisco, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Public Benefit Corporation in the State of California.Their purpose is to collect charitable contributions from individuals and organizations, to distribute those contributions to other not-for-profit 501(c)(3) public benefit charitable organizations, and to have fun while doing it.Donate to the Jose Sarria Foundation |
"José is The ‘Rosa Parks’ of the Gay Rights Movement"Queen Mother of the Americas, Nicole the GreatMore of this story, Here. |
“I want to be remembered not as the little Latin that sat on table tops and sang “God Save the Nelly Queens.” I think I’ve done a little bit more in this world. I want to be remembered for the good things that I’ve done. I have achieved something. I was the first. I was the first to organize a gay non-profit corporation in the state of California. I did it. It was The League for Civil Education. And that became SIR, the Society for Individual Rights.”Jose Julio SarriaIn 1961, the visionary, José Julio Sarria, became the first openly gay candidate for public office in the United States when he ran for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.From: sfimperialcouncil.org |
Emperor Norton, beloved husband of the Widow Norton,Absolute Empress 1 Jose
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Left to right: Reigning Emperor Daddy Brent Munro, Reigning Empress Ehra Amaya, Former California State Senator Mark Leno, Emperor 36 After Norton John Weber, Emperor 48 After Norton William Bulkley |
Left to right: Emperor 46 After Norton Leandro Gonzales, Reigning Emperor Daddy Brent Munro, Reigning Empress Ehra Amaya, Former California State Senator Mark Leno, Emperor 36 After Norton John Weber, Emperor 48 After Norton William Bulkley, Reigning Imperial Crown Prince Todd Hottie |
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Stephen |
Stephen |
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Performer Imperial Crown Prince, Todd Hotty |
Performer Imperial Crown Prince, Todd Hotty |
Performer Imperial Crown Prince, Todd Hotty |
In his early years was a student of the performing arts and languages. After graduating high school and the attacks on Pearl Harbor, Sarria enlisted in the United States Army, honorably serving his country in the European theatre as aide to Colonel Theodore Mataxis. Following Jose's honorable service and discharge in 1947, he returned home to his beloved San Francisco. |
Upon his return, a young Sarria would frequent a local bar called the ‘Black Cat’ on Montgomery Street near Broadway at the center of San Francisco's Beat and Bohemian scene. He became the lover of one of the waiters, Jimmy Moore, and on occasion he would substitute for Jimmy when he was unable to work.He was hired as a waiter and later became the hostess. The owner, Solomon Stoumen, noticed José's ability to provide entertainment and later encouraged him to create performances to draw customers on the weekends. Before long, Sarria would be billed as "The Nightingale of Montgomery Street" performing full blown operatic productions, parodies of torch songs and vignettes, all filled with sexual innuendos or political or social commentary. He played to standing rooms only and often patrons stood outside of the bar to hear his performances.From:sfimperialcouncil.org/founder |
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The Black Cat stage became the vehicle of Sarria's powerful, politically active, and community voice of purpose. During a time of McCarthyism, abusive police raids, and Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control harassment of gay establishments, the Black Cat stood up to these institutions via the legal courts and community support. Sarria was a prominent drag queen and political activist that was unafraid of standing up against the establishment. Sarria used humor and his performance art to serve as the backdrop of his political activism and street-level organizing that cultivated, educated, and empowered a sense of gay pride, identity, and unity in the gay community of San Francisco.From:sfimperialcouncil.org/founder |
One favored harassment technique, employed especially on Halloween after midnight, was to arrest drag queens under an old city ordinance that made it illegal for a man to dress in women's clothing with the "intent to deceive". Jose countered this tactic by distributing labels to his fellow drag queens (hand- made, in the shape of a black cat's head) that read "I am a boy". If confronted, the queen would simply display the tag to prove that there was no intent to deceive. Sarria's actions helped bring an end to Halloween police raids.More of this story, here. |
In 1960, Sarria, a very proud Latino as well as prominent drag queen, founded the League of Civil Education, lending his political voice to educate the community about homosexuality. To raise attention for the cause and after years of oppressive police raids on gay bars and unrelenting arrests of gay individuals, Sarria decided to run for public office. While the community at large was not aware of Sarria's homosexual politics, Sarria had organized the gay community and collected the signatures needed to qualify him for the 1961 Fall elections of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.In 1961, the visionary, José Julio Sarria, became the first openly gay candidate for public office in the United States when he ran for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He placed fifth with over 5,600 votes from among a field of 29 candidates. José's courageous run for public office put the gay vote on the American political map. As José himself put it, "from that day on, nobody ran for anything without knocking on the door of the gay community."From:sfimperialcouncil.org/founder |
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In 1964 at the Beaux Arts Ball hosted by the Tavern Guild of San Francisco, José was crowned Queen of the Ball. Later, he said, "we're all queens, and why become a queen when you can become empress." Thus, he proclaimed himself Empress of San Francisco and later proclaimed that he was the wife of the late Emperor Joshua Norton. The Tavern Guild refused to allow him to go around in female attire, so he dressed up in a suit, tie, hat, a variety of necklaces and jewels, and hints of makeup to attend various functions. He had his courtiers and held court as the Empress.From:sfimperialcouncil.org/founder |
Jose proclaimed that he was "already a queen", and declared himself "Her Royal Majesty, Empress of San Francisco, José I, The Widow Norton". He selected the name "Widow Norton" as an homage to the much-celebrated Joshua Norton, who had declared himself Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico in 1859. |
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Stephen and Sister Roma |
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Sarria led the Imperial Court of San Francisco modeled after his early days of political activism and street-level organizing. He educated and cultivated a greater community sense of gay pride, identity, and unity in the years to follow. Each year, electing Empresses at the Tavern Guild's Annual Beaux Arts Ball became an annual event that drew audiences in growing numbers. When you voted, you had to buy a ticket to the ball. Contestants solicited votes, and the person with the most votes and admirers at the ball was elected and crowned Empress. |
Absolute Empress 50 Khmera Rouge |
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Lady Cuki Couture |
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In 1972, a group of men formed the Council of Emperors of San Francisco and elected their first Emperor. In 1976, the Emperors took José to Woodlawn Cemetery to visit the gravesite of her late husband, Joshua. When José passed, he was laid to rest close to his late “husband.” This ritual has become an annual pilgrimage and where each newly elected Emperor of San Francisco takes his oath of office the day after his election.From:sfimperialcouncil.org/founder |
Sarria's honored leadership, contributions, and historical legacy as the visionary leader, educator, and official voice of the Imperial Court of San Francisco and The International Court System that followed remained until he abdicated in 2007. Even after that, Sarria remained a formidable guiding voice to The Imperial Court of San Francisco and the International Court System.
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Jose Sarria, was the self-proclaimed widow of San Francisco’s beloved Emperor Norton. In 1965, Jose Sarria declared himself Empress I de San Francisco, The Widow Norton, in a gesture to beloved legendary kook Emperor Joshua Norton, a Barbary Coast-era lunatic who declared himself Emperor of the United States a century before. |
The Grand Mere, Absolute Empress I de San Francisco, the Widow Norton, José; a proud openly gay Latino, drag queen, and one of the great iconic American pioneering political activists and leaders of the modern-day LGBT civil rights and social justice movements, gracefully and peacefully passed on from this life after a long battle with cancer at his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico at 7:02 AM on Monday, Aug. 19, 2013, in his 90th year blessing this earth.Pioneering gay activist dies at age 90Please donate to the José Julio Sarria Charitable Giving Fundsfimperialcouncil.org/founderPhoto by Gooch |
Act 4The State Funeral José Sarria at Grace Cathedral in San FranciscoInternational and life long performer Alotta Boutté singing |
Act 4The State Funeral José Sarria at Grace Cathedral in San FranciscoInternational and life long performer Alotta Boutté singing |
Act 4The State Funeral José Sarria at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco |
Act 4The State Funeral José Sarria at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco |
International and life long performer Alotta Boutté singing |
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International performer Alotta Boutté singing |
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International and life long performer Alotta Boutté singing |
Senator Mark Leno's closing remarks at the Oasis |
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The State Funeral for José Sarria at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco2013Elaborate drag funeral at Grace Cathedral |
The State Funeral for José Sarria at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco2013 |
The State Funeral for José Sarria at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco2013Laughter and tears for Jose Sarria |
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The State Funeral for José Sarria at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco2013True to Sarria's big personality, and being the founder of the theatrical Imperial Court organization, he had left behind detailed instructions, including a dress code, for the funeral. |
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The State Funeral for José Sarria at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco2013Maurice Gerry, an old friend of Sarria's, speaks during A Celebration of Life service for Jose Julio Sarria at Grace Cathedral. |
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September 9, 2013San Francisco Police Department escort motorcadeThe State Funeral for Gay Rights Pioneer Jose Sarria |
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September 9, 2013San Francisco Police Department escort motorcadeThe State Funeral for Gay Rights Pioneer Jose Sarria |
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Fittingly, Sarria long ago purchased a burial plot at Woodlawn Cemetery in Colma adjacent to Joshua Norton's. |
Joshua Abraham Norton c. 1892 – January 8, 1880, the self-proclaimed Imperial Majesty Emperor Norton I, was a celebrated citizen of San Francisco, California, who in 1859 proclaimed himself "Emperor of these United States" and subsequently "Protector of Mexico".Emperor Norton, beloved husband of the Widow Norton |
For more information on Jose Sarria and the funeral in 2013, visits these sites:Pioneering gay activist dies at age 90Elaborate drag funeral at Grace CathedralThe Chronicle article about the funeral by Carl Nolte |
The Life & Legend of Emperor NortonFoundSF - Emperor NortonEmperor Norton, beloved husband of the Widow Norton |
Jose Sarria was a veteran of World War 2, a drag queen, and gay rights pioneer who founded the theatrical Imperial Court organization.He has been rightly called the Rosa Parks of the Gay Rights Movement. |
José Julio SarriaIn Honor and Loving MemoryAbsolute Empress I, The Widow NortonDecember 12, 1922 - August 19, 2013 |
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