RECENT RESEARCH — A public dedication ceremony for the reburial of Emperor Norton in Colma, Calif., was held on 30 June 1934. Those who are familiar with this part of the Emperor's story most closely associate 30 June 1934 with his reburial, as this is the date when the reburial was solemnized — when dignitaries offered eulogies and speeches; musicians from the Municipal Band and Olympic Club of San Francisco played and sang; and a U.S. Army honor guard fired a 3-gun salute before a gathering of some 200 people. But — as we show here — the burial itself took place nearly 3 months earlier.

The Emperor Norton Trust

TO HONOR THE LIFE + ADVANCE THE LEGACY OF JOSHUA ABRAHAM NORTON

RESEARCH • EDUCATION • ADVOCACY

"Be Nortonian" on Empire Day 2022

September 17th is 163rd Anniversary of the Public Reign of Emperor Norton

On the morning of 17 September 1859, Joshua Abraham Norton made his way to the Montgomery Street office of the San Francisco Daily Evening Bulletin newspaper

Joshua handed the person in charge a piece of paper with a Proclamation declaring himself Emperor of the United States.

The Bulletin printed it in that evening's edition.

 
 

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EXACTLY 156 YEARS LATER, in 2015, The Emperor Norton Trust inaugurated a new annual holiday to mark the anniversary of this momentous occasion.

We called it Empire Day.

From 2015 to 2019, we held a physical celebration on Empire Day.

Since 2020, we've had to play by different rules — but, we're still playing!

Next Saturday September 17th is the 163rd anniversary of Joshua Norton's public reign as Emperor. On this Empire Day…

Here’s a fun way to honor the Emp in 3 easy steps:

1) Do something Nortonian.

Could be:

  • dressing up

  • doing an act of kindness

  • being weird

  • singing a song

  • reciting a poem

  • supporting a cause

Whatever "being Nortonian" means to you!

2) Take a photo or video of yourself doing this Nortonian thing.

3) Post it to Facebook and/or Twitter on Saturday September 17th.

Include:

  • A line about what Empire Day is — and how that connects to your photo or video

  • The hashtags #EmpireDay and #BeNortonian

  • A challenge to others to follow your lead

  • A tag for The Emperor Norton Trust

    • Facebook @EmperorNortonTrust

    • Twitter @EmpNortonTrust


We want to see a lot of great Empire Day photos and videos — enough to enable us to follow up with a gallery the next day!

So, don't forget to tag us, so we can include you!!!

Cheers!

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