José Sarria
Located at 1 Sarria Court in San Francisco’s Castro District sits a plaque honoring a gay rights pioneer. The plague reads:
José Sarria Court honors the humor, political savvy, and talent of a great San Franciscan.
Born in 1923, Sarria’s performance career began in the 1950′s. In 1961, Sarria ran for San Francisco City Supervisor; the first openly gay candidate to run for office in the United States.
Four years later, Sarria declared himself “Her Imperial Majesty, Empress of San Francisco, José I, the Widow Norton,” a reference to the colorful 19th-Century San Franciscan, Joshua Norton, the self-proclaimed Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico. Sarria’s Coronation inspired the creation of the International Imperial Court System, a service organization with Affiliates across the globe.
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Exact Location: 1 Sarria Court, San Francisco, CA 94114. (Corner of 16th and Pond Streets)