SFBayTimes.com – By Sister Dana Van Iquity
It was a very special visit from Jose Sarria to the GLBT Historical Society at the 499 Castro Street museum on Oct. 3 as he unveiled the display of his 1970 Coronation gown. Sarria is the founder of the International Court System and an early gay rights activist. He was a regular performer at the Black Cat, member of the Tavern Guild, activist with the Society of Individual Rights (SIR), and in 1962 he became the first openly gay person to run for public office in the United States. He dared to declare himself as the Widow Norton, heiress of the notorious Emperor Norton, self-proclaimed ruler of California and Mexico. Because of Empress Jose’s declaration in San Francisco, the entire planet is now inhabited by hundreds upon hundreds of Imperial Court members raising thousands upon thousands of dollars for worthy charities.