All articles tagged with #darcelle
Portland pays tribute to Darcelle, a legendary drag queen who has been entertaining audiences for over five decades and has become an icon of the city's LGBTQ+ community. The tribute included a parade, a documentary screening, and a street renaming ceremony in honor of Darcelle.
Darcelle, Portland's most iconic drag queen and a champion of LGBTQ rights, has died at the age of 92. Also known as Walter W. Cole Sr., Darcelle was the longest-performing female impersonator in the United States and a longtime business owner in Old Town Portland. Despite facing legalized discrimination, she became an "ambassador" to the straight community and was known for her charitable work. Details of a public memorial will be announced soon, but all shows at Darcelle XV Showplace will go on as scheduled per Darcelle's wishes.