Emperor Norton Was a True Visionary
Many of Emperor Norton’s suggestions on how we could improve society were actually valid, and he was way ahead of his time. For example, he was the one who declared that the city needed the Bay Bridge, but it was not actually built until the 1930’s. When it was finally built, a plaque was placed on the bridge with his portrait and his two dogs on either side. “Pause, traveler, and be grateful to Norton I. Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico, 1859-80, whose prophetic wisdom conceived and decreed the bridging of the San Francisco Bay.”
When he was alive, he stood up for all of his beloved “citizens”, no matter where they came from. He defended the rights of Chinese immigrants, and advocated for women’s rights. He even said that there needed to be desegregated public transportation and school systems. He encouraged African Americans to begin fighting for their civil rights almost 100 years before it would actually happen.
One day, a gang of angry white men were attempting to beat up a Chinese immigrant. Emperor Norton saw this happen, and threw himself in front of the Chinese man, spreading his arms like a shield. He began screaming The Lord’s Prayer at the top of his lungs; “OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME…” When the mob told him to move, and asked what in the world he was doing, Norton continued to scream the prayer in their faces. No one wanted to be on the front page of the newspaper for punching the beloved Emperor Norton, or maybe they realized it’s not a good idea to fight a crazy person. So they walked away. Norton could stop screaming, and help the Chinese man return to safety.
For the rest of his life, Norton happily provided for this man and his dogs in exchange for his vigilante justice and words of wisdom. When he died, tens of thousands of people lined the streets of San Francisco during his funeral, which surely rivals the deaths of real kings and queens. He inspired several different authors to write characters that were based on him. Today, tourists visiting San Francisco can go on an Emperor Norton Walking Tour, where a man dressed up as the late great leader can guide you through the city.
Where did we find this stuff? Here are our sources:
The Self-Declared American Emperor That Everyone Loved. Dan Peleschuk. Ozy.
The Forgotten Emperor of The United States And Protector of Mexico, Norton I. Emily Upton. TodayIFoundOut.