Although his exact date of birth has eluded this reporter and his best research skills, one thing that is certain, this week marks the birthday of civil rights legend and San Diego LGBT Weekly columnist, Nicole Murray Ramirez, also known as Empress Nicole the Great, The Queen Mother of the Americas within the Imperial Court System.
Working both as himself and as his drag persona, Murray Ramirez has been an LGBT activist for more than 55 years and is currently a city commissioner appointed by the mayor.
According to Wikipedia, Murray Ramirez is “First Heir Apparent to José Sarria, the Widow Norton of the Imperial Court.”
At a Coronation Ball in Seattle, Wash. Feb. 17, 2007, Sarria formally handed leadership of the organization over to Murray Ramirez. That’s when the latter assumed the title “Queen Mother of the Americas.”
In 1974, in his drag persona as Empress of the Imperial Court de San Diego, Murray Ramirez rode in San Diego’s first Pride parade in an open vehicle amid jeers from hostile spectators. He was among the few to take the microphone and speak at the rally in Balboa Park immediately following.
Regarding that day Murray Ramirez said:
“It was a scary and lonely march down Broadway … nobody applauded. And most gay people didn’t come out to the sidelines because they were afraid.”
Murray Ramirez was grand marshal for that parade on its anniversary 30 years later; was grand marshal in Tijuana’s first Pride parade, served as chair of the Chief of Police Advisory Board, has served on other state and national boards, was the first San Diegan elected to chair the board for Equality California, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the San Diego Latino Coalition and was presented the César Chávez Humanitarian Award by the widow of César Chávez.—Ed.
