Joshua Norton

I was just reading random wikipedia articles, and came across one linked from the main page on Joshua Norton, Emperor of the United States, and Protector of Mexico. It’s a must read in my opinion, a very intriguing beautiful person.

It was during one of his “Imperial inspections” that Norton is reputed to have performed one of his most famous acts. During the 1860s and 1870s there were an unpleasant number of anti-Chinese demonstrations in the poorer districts of San Francisco, and ugly and fatal riots broke out on several occasions. During one such incident, Norton is alleged to have positioned himself between the rioters and their Chinese targets, and with a bowed head began to recite the Lord’s Prayer repeatedly. Shamed, the rioters dispersed without incident.

This is leadership by example and respect, one of the most difficult ways to lead, really but probably the best. Here is one fun fact, and one spooky one:

• In the religion of Discordianism, Emperor Norton is considered a Saint Second Class, the highest spiritual honor attainable by an actual (non-fictional) human being.
• Norton’s funeral was a solemn, mournful and large affair. Some accounts report that as many as 30,000 people lined the streets to pay homage, and that the funeral cortege was two miles long. He was buried at the Masonic Cemetery, at the expense of the City of San Francisco. The day after his funeral, January 11, 1880, the San Francisco skies were blackened with a total solar eclipse.