known grand mere widow december august american political activist san_francisco california openly gay candidate public office united_states remembered performing drag queen founder born parents marry father showed interest son life maria initially raised difficult placed couple mother early interest wearing girl clothing showed affinity languages led romance man austrian baron fled nazis fell love relationship endured son killed car accident served united_states_army world war following discharge studied teacher frequented met described love life hired cocktail following conviction morals charge realizing certified teacher began performing drag appeared regularly black cat early lgbt activist founded organizations including openly gay candidate public office united_states ran declared empress widow founded grew international association charitable organizations following closure went work pair operated french restaurants new york world fair learned committed suicide worked retiring living parker phoenix arizona years returned san_francisco continued reign courts years lifetime activism city san_francisco renamed section 16th street honor family history born san_francisco california maria family spanish origin mother maria born upper class politically active family events thousand days war following mother death maria sought protection mother friend general escape colombia general located maria surviving uncle took american ward united_states relocated panama mother got panama directions home family called chairman big german beer company said went work mother upstairs maid took care children relocated remained months sailed san_francisco reported boat mother met father came large wealthy family known grandparents came spain maria initially worked woman sponsored passage united_states took job maid family named palace hotel courted maria realized pregnant son born december birth certificate reads believed born maria married early life mother continued work family increasingly difficult job responsibilities care infant maria arrangements raised couple recently lost youngest child suffered severe depression doctor suggested child raise meeting maria agreed let raise came consider children second family maria bought house moved relationship birth father man showed zero interest failed provide family financial support eventually arrested failure pay child support judge ordered pay released money turned care arrested month returned nicaragua time paid released died nicaragua years later learned father acknowledged born attended spoke spanish sent private schools learning english began dressing female clothes early age family allowing occasionally family dressed girl youth studied ballet tap dancing singing years old asked mother money bank maria gave money employer invest asked books discovered women referred arrested convicted deported maria sued corporate partners received settlement recovered bulk money unable afford house payments maria moved family teenager enrolled took advanced classes french german spanish english brought total languages facility languages led relationship man austrian baron fled switzerland nazis invaded austria brought wife son suffered tuberculosis wife died brought america found falling love tutor family welcomed son graduated high school enrolled college study home economics military service following attack pearl harbor determined join military despite feet tall short meet army height requirement major attached san_francisco recruiting station condition major approve approved entered continuing studies waited called active duty shortly scheduled induction regular army beloved second father died heart attack induction delayed month sworn ordered sacramento california basic training languages assigned following routine background check security clearance advised longer program assumed investigators discovered homosexuality mean wasn masculine guy town think figured little bit gay officially remained attached ordered trained cook graduating cooking school assigned train scout deliberately failed training dangerous nature assignment assigned motor pool work motor pool met young officer named major major orderly eventually running officers mess occupied germany cooked officers discharged army rank staff sergeant return overseas began worry future united_states legal recognition sex relationships looked way provide death proposed marriage mother maria maria willing refused allow given choice contacted remaining adult relative brother lived hollywood left instructions care family christmas day son struck drunk driver driving spend holiday family killed determined died meaning paul brother inherited brother ignored paul wishes gotten houses claimed gave little money ring claimed paul wanted evil said expect going montgomery street following military service returned san_francisco enrolled college plans teacher sister began center city beat bohemian scene named bet bed won bet soon moore lovers began covering moore unable work soon owner hired cocktail time arrested sting operation maintained innocence stating arresting officer knew personally example somebody wrong place wrong time nonetheless convicted subjected large fine understanding conviction meant certified teacher dropped college unsure find work took advice drag performer named entered drag contest oakland bar called pearl took second place winning week performance contract bar week decided notorious homosexual fairy wanted pay returning san_francisco picked small singing jobs cocktail waiting black cat night black cat recognized piano player rendition opera began singing opera delivered drinks quickly led schedule shows night regular sunday afternoon billed montgomery street initially focused singing parodies popular torch songs soon performing blown operas natural high tenor specialty working set modern day san_francisco popular cruising area union square audience vice squad escape encouraged patrons open honest possible people living double lives didn understand persecution ashamed wrong gay crime getting caught united stand divided catch closing time patrons join hands sing god save queens tune god save queen bring crowd outside sing final verse men street jail arrested raids earlier night speaking ritual film word gay journalist said sounds silly lived time oppression coming police department society turn able arms gay men able stand sing god save queens saying god save queens saying rights fought police harassment gay bars raids gay bars routine inside raided bar taken custody charged crimes inmates house charges routinely dropped arrested patrons names addresses printed newspapers charges dropped arrested men usually quietly pleaded guilty encouraged men guilty demand jury trial following advice gay men began demanding jury trials court judges began expecting prosecutors actual evidence accused going trial favored harassment technique employed especially halloween midnight arrest drag queens old city ordinance illegal man dress women clothing intent consultation attorney countered tactic distributing labels fellow drag queens hand shape black cat head read boy confronted queen simply display tag prove intent actions helped bring end halloween police raids formed ran educational programs topic homosexuality provided support men gay caught police raids political candidacy intensive period police pressure san_francisco mayoral election supposed city government issue ran openly gay candidate public office united_states expected win win default day candidates file petitions city officials realized fewer candidates running open seats guaranteed seat end day total candidates filed founder began printing news support candidacy garnered votes city wide race finishing ninth win seat shock political set motion idea gay voting real power city politics gay vote map said executive director visible showed constituency day ran san_francisco knocking door gay community bar owners employees formed country gay business association guild raised money legal fees bail people arrested gay bars helped bar owners coordinate response harassment police continued perform black cat years police pressure bar lost liquor license stayed open months finally closing good february widow demise helped found sir sir grew split direction heading supporters wanted focus publishing group newsletter wanted maintain focus street level organizing sir sponsored social political functions including bowling leagues bridge clubs voter registration drives candidates nights published magazine association sir printed distributed pocket lawyers pocket sized guides offered advice arrested harassed police sir lasted years crowned queen stating queen proclaimed widow devised widow reference celebrated citizen 19th century san_francisco declared emperor united_states organized elaborate annual lay flowers grave california purchased plot adjacent interred assumption title empress led establishment network non profit charitable organizations united_states canada mexico raises money revered hierarchy informally known mama mama members honors awards presented dignitaries annual banquet held honor went business owned restaurants called california new_york_city met parker night struck friendship addition restaurants parker held french food concession world fair invited join new york world fair working fair learned longtime companion died moore frequent relationship arrested number times public judge finally told moore time arrested given maximum sentence moore arrested scared long prison term hanged jail devastated come home exposition end season returned moore father ended big romance great love life carried years parker worked seasons new_york fair expo montreal san_antonio texas expo washington retired parker moved phoenix arizona lived returning san_francisco remained politically active endorsing milk win board seat sought later life members appeared notable drag queens film thanks played judges drag queen year contest opened film found center legal controversy role jury murder trial sentenced death murder allegedly picked bar san_francisco district attorneys claimed jury convicted seated alternate penalty phase known lover alleged concealed knowledge order remain jury push death sentence acknowledged having spoken occasionally denied rest allegations cleared wrongdoing february honored san francisco lgbt pride celebration committee lifetime activism commemorated city san_francisco renamed section 16th street plaque outlining accomplishments embedded located court honored official celebration month june reigned february throne favor heir apparent assumed title empress great queen mother americas left san_francisco settling california area decade moving new_mexico suburb granting lifetime achievement award march noted living cute little enjoying time raising chickens guest house adjacent home husband known ross served years life death died cancer age august home tributes appeared united_states media including advocate san_francisco new_york_times san_francisco_chronicle media outside united_states reported death include online newspaper based london monthly lgbt magazine warsaw poland regional lgbt radio program online magazine based netherlands website spanish national public television network daily newspaper stockholm sweden imperial drag themed funeral held september right bishop california presiding attended service local state elected officials participated including california state san_francisco mayor san_francisco treasurer members leaders sisters perpetual attended formal mourning dress court dictated advance dignitaries funeral included nephew politician head immediately following funeral approximately accompanied body buried military honors plot previously purchased foot grave memorabilia documented public private activities life extensive collection archival materials artifacts donated majority papers memorabilia sampling costumes archive research center san_francisco initial donation came followed substantial body material addition gave small selection costumes accessories documents including cape wore performances comic version black cat continued smaller collection art artifacts documentation said expected eventually donate materials article published atlantic asserted donated materials claim appears erroneous stated declined request
José Sarria