Imperial Courts History

Jose Sarria, walks at Seattle Coronation in 1976

Empress I de San Francisco, José Sarria is well documented proclaiming herself “The Widow Norton” and crowned with the title “Absolute Empress I de San Francisco” by the San Francisco Tavern Guild; October 31, 1965 at the Beaux Arts Balls held in the Winterland Ice Rink. The Royal journey actually began much earlier beginning in at least 1955, in elaborate house parties hosted by Jose and friends, where the Marquessa Josefina de Sarria would hold court. This laid the foundation for what would become the International Imperial Court System.

The Empress of Canada, ted northe is also well documented in 1964 traveling to San Francisco where he met David Hamilton (aka Rose Empress VI Mamé of Portland). (SAD Magazine; 2011 Issue 7/8 “Dressed to Empress” interview). ted recounts (in the article) with great detail being put into drag by Mamé for the very first time; and how it helped create the monarch persona he would take back and use for community activism. Shortly after returning to Vancouver, ted proclaimed the title “The Empress of Canada” and established “The Imperial Empire of Canada”.

In 1969 the Dorian Society of Seattle having mounted their 2nd “Empress of the Northwest Pageant” signaled they wanted to divest themselves of the pageant. Del Greenlee “Olympia 2 Della”, John Graham “Olympia 3 Lola”, King Father John Frangello and John Scott “Olympia 1 Scotty” all enter the picture approaching Bob Bedord aka “BB”, owner of the Mocambo and President of the Queen City Business Guild, to gain help taking over the pageant and restyle the title as “Empress of Seattle.” They then made the trip to San Francisco in January 1971 where John, Della, Lola, and Scotty met with José who joyfully gave her blessing and with it the Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle was on their way!

Thanksgiving Weekend 1970, Cal Colburn (who became Los Angeles’ 5th Emperor) held one of Los Angeles’ first Drag Queen Beauty Pageant/Contests in Studio City at Oil Can Harry’s.  Emerging from the crowded field of some 40 contestants that night; Empress LaRey was crowned.

Now most gay histories begin with the Stonewall Riots of 1969 in New York. History tells us however that the vast correspondence and friendships kept throughout the late 1950’s and 1960’s between figures such as José and the SF Tavern Guild, ted northe and the Empire of Canada, Rose Empress’ Sam Campbell and Mamé along with the Portland Forum (Forerunner to the Rose Court), Olympia’s Lola, Della, Scotty and King Father John Frangello with the Dorian Society and Seattle’s Queen City Business Guild and Cal Colburn & LaRey the founding courts were already bonding to keep their community  and drag personalities well connected.

It all came together magically in the fall of 1970 and throughout 1971 with the launch of the first Annual Drag Balls between Vancouver BC, Seattle WA, Portland OR, San Francisco CA and Los Angeles CA. Each court spent 1970-1972 coming together in formal agreement as the five Founding Charters that their Empress would be elected by public vote of the community under the name of the International Court System,

Here are the documented First Ten (10) Elected Monarch Reigns in following order:

1) Sunday; November 29, 1970 at Oil Can Harry’s – Roxy is crowned Empress de Los Angeles. One-week later Roxy abdicated her titles and Angel Empress I LaRey of Los Angeles is crowned.

2) Sunday; January 3, 1971 at the Jack Tar Hotel’s Majestic Grand Ballroom – Absolute Empress VI Cristal of San Francisco is crowned.

3) Sunday; October 31, 1971 at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel’s Olympic Bowl – Olympia I Scotty of Seattle is crowned. (Scotty reigned for 15 months until her stepdown in February of 1973).

4) Sunday; November 14, 1971 at the Hoyt Hotel’s Roaring 20’s Ballroom – Rose Empress XIV Tracey St. James of Portland is crowned by Rose Empress XIII The Vanessa.

5) Sunday; November 26, 1971 at Ciro’s Le Disc Club – Angel Empress II Victoria Lee is crowned. (The First Ever Crowned Transgender Monarch of the International Court System)

6) Sunday; January 9, 1972 at the Fairmont Hotel’s Venetian Ballroom – Absolute Empress VII Jonni of San Francisco is crowned.

7) Sunday; March 18, 1972 at the Commodore Ballroom – Empress I Charity Regina of Vancouver BC is crowned by ted northe.

8) Sunday; June 18, 1972 in the Edgewater Hyatt Hotel’s Empire Ballroom – Empress 1 Madame Leslie and Emperor 1 Gregg Lucio of Long Beach are crowned by Mr. Rick Ford and Absolute Empress I José Sarria. (The First Ever Crowning of an Emperor of the International Court System)

9) Friday, September 29, 1972 at the California Hall – Emperor I After Norton; Marcus Hernandez is crowned by the Emperors Council of San Francisco and Absolute Empress I José Sarria.

10) Sunday; November 19, 1972 at the Paramount Northwest Theatre – Rose Empress XV Darcelle is crowned by Rose Empress XIV Tracey St. James.

History by Daniel Barrows, ICS Historian & Gene Brake, ICS Archivist

First Monarchs of Active / Merged Courts  (under construction)