Pacific Northwest Imperial Court and Drag Pageant Archive, 1976-86
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[LGBTQ][Drag][Cross-Dressing] Archive of nine Pacific Northwest drag coronation and LGBTQ community publications. 1978–1982. A striking and well-preserved archive documenting drag pageantry and queer organizational culture in the Pacific Northwest and Western United States during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Featuring materials from local chapters of the Imperial Court System, one of the earliest and oldest queer mutual aid networks in the U.S., this collection highlights the emergence of a highly organized and community driven LGBTQ culture rooted in political solidarity across gay, lesbian, and trans activists. Comprising original coronation programs and one LGBTQ-interest magazine from northern California, Washington, Nevada, and Utah. Archive includes:
[1] Pacific Coast Times. California: March 26, 1976. A biweekly LGBTQ+ magazine featuring articles, recurring columns, community news, nightlife listings, and event coverage. A rare snapshot of gay social life in California, Nevada, and beyond in the mid-1970s.
[2] Time Travelers: Coronation of the Seventh Emperor of San Francisco, September 16, 1978. Produced by the Golden Spike Court, this yellow saddle-stapled booklet commemorates the installation of a new Emperor in a railroad-themed event. Includes letters from organizers, organization history, humorous event credits, and a detailed program schedule.
[3] The Raintree Empire’s Fantasia ’79, March 24, 1979, Vancouver, WA. Violet-pink program from the Imperial Sovereign Court of Raintree Empire. Advertisements from local LGBTQ friendly businesses and court pages celebrating community titles and contestants. A page of stylized greetings features the note: “We dedicate this to the people who helped us succeed in new ways,” capturing the communal tone of the event.
[4] 4th Coronation, Silver Dollar Court, 1979, Reno, Nevada. Red booklet with silver embossed seal. Includes personal letters from Empress Vixen and Emperor Fred, reflecting on a year of “battling hardship with pageantry” and celebrating court members who helped organize drag fundraisers across the state.
[5] Imperial Dove Court: Fresno Coronation 1980, “A Salute to Movie Musicals,” February 23, 1980. Blue program featuring a coronation ceremony styled as a film production (“Final Take”). Inside, a photo of Empress VI Lisa and Emperor VI Manny appears beside an address praising community service: “With the help of our citizens we accomplished so much in 1979.”
[6] San Joaquin Delta Imperial Empire Presents the 1st Annual Closet Ball, March 23, 1980, Stockton, California. Saddle-stapled booklet in black and white with a minimalist line drawing cover. The event welcomed newcomers to drag through performance competitions. Includes greetings from Empress VI Julie and Emperor VII Bob, who write: “We are proud and privileged to have you as our guest tonight... May we all grow united in love, peace, and prosperity.”
[7] California Kingdom coronation program. Modesto CA, 1980. A cream saddle-stapled program with ornate decorative borders and a typewritten letter from Betty King I and Glenna Queen I, dedicating a “Coronation Ball” to their community. Program schedule includes segments like “Return of King and Queen” and “Presentation of the Valiant Court and Mistress.” A particularly touching handwritten message on the back cover summarizes the organization's mission "Congratulations Don & Laura Leigh, Much Love, Bob and Julie, candidates for Empress VI and Emperor VII. It is our desire to meet new friends and become reunited with old friends, to work together to spread love and [unity] understanding through out our community [in 1980]. Join us for Unity in 1980."
[8] San Francisco Coronation 1982, “Somewhere Over Our Rainbow... Upstairs-Downstairs at Duckingham Palace.” Black-and-white offset program featuring an illustrated cover with the Golden Gate Bridge, a drag queen, and a leather-clad man. Presented by the S.F. Tavern Guild Foundation and Empress Phyllis. Inside: congratulatory ads from local bars like The Stallion (749 Polk St.), drag performer portraits, and reflections on Empress XX Phyllis’ reign: “Still here... And I want to be.”
[9] “Around the World in Eighty Days,” Coronation Program, 1986. Salt Lake City, Utah. Cream textured paper cover with stylized globe graphic. The program blends drag performance with international pageantry, introducing regional empresses and emperors in themed segments, such as “Princess of the Nile,” “Empress of the Orient,” and “Queen of Africa.” Hosted by emcees Marita Gayle and Larry White. With many ads for LGBTQ friendly organizations and businesses in Utah, as well as event photos and messages from past winners.
These coronation programs, produced for elaborately staged drag balls, pageants, and community events, feature schedules, greetings from reigning monarchs and candidates, hand-drawn illustrations, and ads from local LGBTQ-supportive businesses. Messages from community leaders frame the events as both celebratory and politically meaningful: one 1978 letter from San Francisco reads, “These new times are not easy ones… We all must make a more positive, sincere effort to try harder to work together in support of our Human Rights programs.” The archive is especially valuable for its documentation of drag as a communal, intergenerational, and regionally coordinated form of resistance and self-determination during a critical pre-AIDS era in LGBTQ history. Saddle-stapled or bound with brass fasteners, most offset-printed; occasional hand-stapling or mimeograph. Minor rubbing, edge wear, and faint stains to a few programs; all sound and complete. Very good overall. This collection exemplifies the ceremony depth of drag culture in the Pacific Northwest, as well as Southern California, Nevada, and Utah, at a period of growing visibility, and activism.
[1] Pacific Coast Times. California: March 26, 1976. A biweekly LGBTQ+ magazine featuring articles, recurring columns, community news, nightlife listings, and event coverage. A rare snapshot of gay social life in California, Nevada, and beyond in the mid-1970s.
[2] Time Travelers: Coronation of the Seventh Emperor of San Francisco, September 16, 1978. Produced by the Golden Spike Court, this yellow saddle-stapled booklet commemorates the installation of a new Emperor in a railroad-themed event. Includes letters from organizers, organization history, humorous event credits, and a detailed program schedule.
[3] The Raintree Empire’s Fantasia ’79, March 24, 1979, Vancouver, WA. Violet-pink program from the Imperial Sovereign Court of Raintree Empire. Advertisements from local LGBTQ friendly businesses and court pages celebrating community titles and contestants. A page of stylized greetings features the note: “We dedicate this to the people who helped us succeed in new ways,” capturing the communal tone of the event.
[4] 4th Coronation, Silver Dollar Court, 1979, Reno, Nevada. Red booklet with silver embossed seal. Includes personal letters from Empress Vixen and Emperor Fred, reflecting on a year of “battling hardship with pageantry” and celebrating court members who helped organize drag fundraisers across the state.
[5] Imperial Dove Court: Fresno Coronation 1980, “A Salute to Movie Musicals,” February 23, 1980. Blue program featuring a coronation ceremony styled as a film production (“Final Take”). Inside, a photo of Empress VI Lisa and Emperor VI Manny appears beside an address praising community service: “With the help of our citizens we accomplished so much in 1979.”
[6] San Joaquin Delta Imperial Empire Presents the 1st Annual Closet Ball, March 23, 1980, Stockton, California. Saddle-stapled booklet in black and white with a minimalist line drawing cover. The event welcomed newcomers to drag through performance competitions. Includes greetings from Empress VI Julie and Emperor VII Bob, who write: “We are proud and privileged to have you as our guest tonight... May we all grow united in love, peace, and prosperity.”
[7] California Kingdom coronation program. Modesto CA, 1980. A cream saddle-stapled program with ornate decorative borders and a typewritten letter from Betty King I and Glenna Queen I, dedicating a “Coronation Ball” to their community. Program schedule includes segments like “Return of King and Queen” and “Presentation of the Valiant Court and Mistress.” A particularly touching handwritten message on the back cover summarizes the organization's mission "Congratulations Don & Laura Leigh, Much Love, Bob and Julie, candidates for Empress VI and Emperor VII. It is our desire to meet new friends and become reunited with old friends, to work together to spread love and [unity] understanding through out our community [in 1980]. Join us for Unity in 1980."
[8] San Francisco Coronation 1982, “Somewhere Over Our Rainbow... Upstairs-Downstairs at Duckingham Palace.” Black-and-white offset program featuring an illustrated cover with the Golden Gate Bridge, a drag queen, and a leather-clad man. Presented by the S.F. Tavern Guild Foundation and Empress Phyllis. Inside: congratulatory ads from local bars like The Stallion (749 Polk St.), drag performer portraits, and reflections on Empress XX Phyllis’ reign: “Still here... And I want to be.”
[9] “Around the World in Eighty Days,” Coronation Program, 1986. Salt Lake City, Utah. Cream textured paper cover with stylized globe graphic. The program blends drag performance with international pageantry, introducing regional empresses and emperors in themed segments, such as “Princess of the Nile,” “Empress of the Orient,” and “Queen of Africa.” Hosted by emcees Marita Gayle and Larry White. With many ads for LGBTQ friendly organizations and businesses in Utah, as well as event photos and messages from past winners.
These coronation programs, produced for elaborately staged drag balls, pageants, and community events, feature schedules, greetings from reigning monarchs and candidates, hand-drawn illustrations, and ads from local LGBTQ-supportive businesses. Messages from community leaders frame the events as both celebratory and politically meaningful: one 1978 letter from San Francisco reads, “These new times are not easy ones… We all must make a more positive, sincere effort to try harder to work together in support of our Human Rights programs.” The archive is especially valuable for its documentation of drag as a communal, intergenerational, and regionally coordinated form of resistance and self-determination during a critical pre-AIDS era in LGBTQ history. Saddle-stapled or bound with brass fasteners, most offset-printed; occasional hand-stapling or mimeograph. Minor rubbing, edge wear, and faint stains to a few programs; all sound and complete. Very good overall. This collection exemplifies the ceremony depth of drag culture in the Pacific Northwest, as well as Southern California, Nevada, and Utah, at a period of growing visibility, and activism.