ABSTRACT
The Empire began silently, though even in its inception it spanned the continent. A letter mailed in San Francisco arrived in New York City in the hands of José Sarria, who was working at the World's Fair. The year was 1964, and José, singer, performer, female impersonator, social and political activist, “the Nightingale of Montgomery Street” according to San Francisco columnist Herb Caen, read the invitation. The Tavern Guild, an association of gay bars since the days of the infamous Black Cat Cafe, had decided to hold a summer ball, and they wanted José to return to the City by the Bay to be the guest of honor. Having been a part of the inception of the guild and having been for years the heart of the Black Cat and much of the city's gay community, José wanted to attend what the organization hoped would be a major social and fundraising event. Unfortunately his work at the fair prevented him from returning that summer. The guild wrote back that they would instead honor José at their Beaux Arts Ball at Halloween, an increasingly popular annual event begun in 1962.
