Imperial Court Celebrates 29th Anniversary

Loretta Gibson remembers when drag shows were held in parking lots.

In Jan. 1976 when she and five of her friends were sitting at Mr. Obi's, a gay café, organizing the beginnings of what would later become the Imperial Court de Fort Worth/Arlington (Texas), the dream was to have a place other than the bar for the community to have fun and socialize.

The Imperial Court de Fort Worth/Arlington is based in Fort Worth, TX and is a social-community service organization. (Source: The Ally)

"We decided to start a gay club and get the people involved to help people in the gay community have things to do outside of the bar," said Gibson, a cab driver and jeweler. "Mr. Obi's had good people. It wasn't much different than the bars now."

The core group known as Barbara Dahl ("Barbie Doll"), John, Eedye (Gibson's partner at the time), Darlene, Josie, and Gibson witnessed the female impersonator shows outside the bars frequently.

"Eedye and I weren't bar people," said Gibson. "We had races, carnivals, rides, whatever we could think of (at the start of the Court). We started talking to people and getting them to join the gay club and told them our purpose."

By June or July of that year approximately 25 people had become interested in the new organization which later changed its name to the Longhorn Council at the suggestion of the majority. In 1978 the organization was renamed the Imperial Court, a name Gibson says she is proud of today.

"I'm glad I helped. It was started long before it came to be named the Imperial Court," she said. "All the original members died and I'm the only one left. It makes me feel good that the five of us started something that's big today and I love it. There were times I didn't get to go to (to some of the events) but I always kept up with what was going on. To see how things are now makes me happy."

Gibson, a Texas native nicknamed "Shorty," started a photo album in 1977 of the group's activiites which included a 1950s-style show, pageant pictures, pie-throwing contests, tricycle races, and a crazy hat contest among other events.