Conversation so far:
Who is Jose I
Crowned Queen of the Beaux Arts Ball in 1964 by the Tavern Guild, Sarria, stating that he was already a queen, proclaimed himself Her Royal Majesty, Empress of San Francisco, José I, The Widow Norton“
When did jose sarria proclaim himself empress jose I, the widow norton
in 1964

Question: What was significant about the statement?
Self-contained rewrite: What was significant about sarria's jose I, the widow norton statement?