r/atunsheifilms

Joshua Norton was born around 1818 in England, his family later moving to settle South Africa and immigrating to the United States in the 1840s joining the first wave of gold rush pioneers to settle in San Francisco. He was a wealthy real estate speculator and business owner who attempted to price gouge the rice market in 1851. A famine in China diminished the supply so Joshua spent all his fortune on a rice shipment from Peru. By the time it reached California, the rice trade was back in full swing and Nortons shipment was worthless compared to what he paid for it. He declared bankruptcy and was left homeless on the streets.

Years in poverty may have driven Joshua mad because in 1859 he declared himself emperor of the United States sending letters to newspaper publications declaring his legitimacy. The bizarre story of a riches to rags homeless man was intriguing enough that Nortons declarations and laws made were regularly published in the papers turning him into a local celebrity. He began going around town in an emperors uniform inspecting streets and attending town hall meetings and wrote letters to world leaders(not sure how many were ever sent). He outlawed the slang word “frisco” to refer to San Francisco, printed his own currency and people would salute him on the street.

Beneath this eccentric persona was the genuine activism and fight against racism Norton used his influence for. He published a ban on slavery in 1859, documents show he was signing petitions for women’s suffrage later publishing their rights to vote in the papers, he supported the 15th amendment and black newspapers. One of his most famous moments was when a working man’s union held a meeting where they planned to vandalize Chinese buildings. Emperor Norton during the meeting stood on a box and began reciting bible verses and urging the crowd to treat their neighbors equally and the meeting ended with the hate mob cancelled. Norton died in 1880 with thousands attending his funeral.

It’s gay, it’s spooky, it’s adventurous, it’s horny, it’s historical, the fashion slaps, the French are sweaty. Trust me you will love it, or find it bizarre but you’ll it. So just please watch it, watch it now, watch it for date night I garuntee you’ll both find Monica belluci and Vincent cassel hot. Trust me

Join us for the premiere of THE VAMPIRES OF NEW ORLEANS on the evening of September 27th at the Broad Theater in New Orleans! It's an intimate, exclusive event in a neighborhood arthouse theater and includes a Q&A and meet-and-greet with cast and crew after the show. Don't wait to buy tickets – seating is limited and we expect to sell out! https://www.thebroadtheater.com/movie/the-vampires-of-new-orleans/