Harvey Milk was an influential activist whose efforts brought attention to the importance of equal rights for the LGBT community. He was never violent in expressing his views and instead preferred civil disobedience in raising public awareness of these issues. His pronounced work is now commemorated on May 22nd each year, on the date of his birthday.[1] Although Milk maintained a domestic partnership at home, he kept his sexuality a secret for many years. Before moving to San Francisco, where he bloomed into the activist that he later became, he lived in New York where he gained friendship with a group of radical homosexual activists. This friendship was the catalyst in Milk’s transition to becoming an openly gay man.[2] Milk believed in peaceful protest and gave numerous electrifying speeches. Because of this, gay activist groups look up to Harvey Milk and many replicate the approach of his tactics. Milk realized that the inequality that existed against homosexuals was immense and that the only way to effect change was to civilly raise awareness. In an analysis of Harvey Milk’s actions one may see the effectiveness of civil disobedience in eventually attaining change in public policy.
Milk became the first openly gay individual elected to public office in the United States when he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. This victory however was not a simple achievement for Milk; he had previously run for office and was unsuccessful.[3] His defeat in his prior elections did not cause him to loose faith in his cause and he courageously proceeded to run in subsequent elections. The night of one of his elections he proclaimed "This is not my victory -- it's yours. If a gay man can win, it proves that there is hope for all minorities who are willing to fight." Once elected, he was able to accomplish the passing of California’s first ordinance banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.[4]
Harvey Milk was a strong believer in non-violent protest. He thought that using his amazing public speaking skills rather than rioting was the best way to get his point across and effect change. As voiced by Milk’s nephew, “commitment to nonviolence was at his very core.” (hope)Supporters believed “Harvey could galvanize people. He was like a lightning rod — he had the electricity in him.” [5] Milk used his charismatic approach to attack his opponents civilly while also gaining the support of individuals who formerly did not agree with his point of view. He was not only captivating but he also used precise wording to delineate his message which really resonated with his audience. During the June 1978 Gay Freedom Day Parade he proved that words hit harder than fists when during his powerful speech he said ““On the Statue of Liberty it says: ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free…’ In the Declaration of Independence, it is written: ‘All men are created equal and they are endowed with certain inalienable rights…’ And in our National Anthem, it says: ‘Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave over the land of the free.’”[6] Milk also believed “There is a major difference – and it remains a vital difference – between a friend and a gay person, a friend in office and a gay person in office…It’s not enough anymore just to have friends represent us. No matter how good that friend may be.”[7] Even though there was not immediate change we now see forty years after his assassination that all his hard work paved the way for the civil liberties of the LGBT community in the United States. A lot of the changes we see now are due to his non-violent approach as apposed to the norm of maniacal protest seen by some of his fellow activists. His diplomatic method to effecting public policy was one of the major reasons Milk was elected into office as a public official.
Much like several other great activists in United States History Harvey Milk was assassinated. His assassin, Dan White, was a Veteran and former police and fireman with a strong belief in traditional values. White and Milk often had a difference in opinion when it came to liberal issues and White resigned from office due to a salary dispute.[8] He later returned asking the mayor to reappoint him to the San Francisco City County Board but the mayor refused to reappoint him in part due to the convincing of Harvey Milk who did not want White to return to public office. On November 27, 1978 White entered city hall enraged by his unsuccessful attempt at being reappointed. He proceeded to Mayor Moscone’s office where he attempted again to convince him to appoint him to the board. When the mayor refused, White shot him and then proceeded down the hall to an encounter with Milk who he then too shot dead.[9] The loss of these two men was a tragic event however their legacy and peaceful protesting methods will be forever remembered and continued to be used.
FOR TIMELINE PLEASE SEE BELOW
[1] Unknown, Harvey Milk Day. GSA Network: 2013
[2] Randy Shilts, The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press, 1982.
[3] Unknown, Harvey Milk. The California Museum: 2013
[4] Shilts ,The Mayor of Castro Street
[5] Michael Martin, The Resurrection of Harvey Milk. The Advocate: 2008.
[6] Shilts, The Mayor of Castro Street
[7] Ibid.
[8] Unknown, Harvey Bernard Milk. Biography.com
[9] Randy Hope, Remembering Harvey Milk. The Gay & Lesbian Times: 2013
Harvey Milk Timeline
• May 22, 1930 - Harvey Milk is born in Woodmere, New York
• 1951-1955 - Harvey Milk serves in the Navy
• 1963 - Harvey Milk begins work at a Wall Street investment firm
• 1972 - Harvey Milk moves to the Castro in San Francisco
• November 1973 - Harvey Milk runs for supervisor and loses
• 1974 - Harvey Milk helps launch the first Castro Street Fair
• November 8, 1977 - Harvey Milk is finally elected to the board of supervisors for District 5. Being the first openly gay man elected to public office.
• April 1978 - A bill Milk introduced, The San Francisco Gay Civil Rights ordinance, is signed by Mayor George Moscone.
• November 27, 1978 - Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone are assassinated by former fellow supervisor Dan White.
Milk became the first openly gay individual elected to public office in the United States when he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. This victory however was not a simple achievement for Milk; he had previously run for office and was unsuccessful.[3] His defeat in his prior elections did not cause him to loose faith in his cause and he courageously proceeded to run in subsequent elections. The night of one of his elections he proclaimed "This is not my victory -- it's yours. If a gay man can win, it proves that there is hope for all minorities who are willing to fight." Once elected, he was able to accomplish the passing of California’s first ordinance banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.[4]
Harvey Milk was a strong believer in non-violent protest. He thought that using his amazing public speaking skills rather than rioting was the best way to get his point across and effect change. As voiced by Milk’s nephew, “commitment to nonviolence was at his very core.” (hope)Supporters believed “Harvey could galvanize people. He was like a lightning rod — he had the electricity in him.” [5] Milk used his charismatic approach to attack his opponents civilly while also gaining the support of individuals who formerly did not agree with his point of view. He was not only captivating but he also used precise wording to delineate his message which really resonated with his audience. During the June 1978 Gay Freedom Day Parade he proved that words hit harder than fists when during his powerful speech he said ““On the Statue of Liberty it says: ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free…’ In the Declaration of Independence, it is written: ‘All men are created equal and they are endowed with certain inalienable rights…’ And in our National Anthem, it says: ‘Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave over the land of the free.’”[6] Milk also believed “There is a major difference – and it remains a vital difference – between a friend and a gay person, a friend in office and a gay person in office…It’s not enough anymore just to have friends represent us. No matter how good that friend may be.”[7] Even though there was not immediate change we now see forty years after his assassination that all his hard work paved the way for the civil liberties of the LGBT community in the United States. A lot of the changes we see now are due to his non-violent approach as apposed to the norm of maniacal protest seen by some of his fellow activists. His diplomatic method to effecting public policy was one of the major reasons Milk was elected into office as a public official.
Much like several other great activists in United States History Harvey Milk was assassinated. His assassin, Dan White, was a Veteran and former police and fireman with a strong belief in traditional values. White and Milk often had a difference in opinion when it came to liberal issues and White resigned from office due to a salary dispute.[8] He later returned asking the mayor to reappoint him to the San Francisco City County Board but the mayor refused to reappoint him in part due to the convincing of Harvey Milk who did not want White to return to public office. On November 27, 1978 White entered city hall enraged by his unsuccessful attempt at being reappointed. He proceeded to Mayor Moscone’s office where he attempted again to convince him to appoint him to the board. When the mayor refused, White shot him and then proceeded down the hall to an encounter with Milk who he then too shot dead.[9] The loss of these two men was a tragic event however their legacy and peaceful protesting methods will be forever remembered and continued to be used.
FOR TIMELINE PLEASE SEE BELOW
[1] Unknown, Harvey Milk Day. GSA Network: 2013
[2] Randy Shilts, The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press, 1982.
[3] Unknown, Harvey Milk. The California Museum: 2013
[4] Shilts ,The Mayor of Castro Street
[5] Michael Martin, The Resurrection of Harvey Milk. The Advocate: 2008.
[6] Shilts, The Mayor of Castro Street
[7] Ibid.
[8] Unknown, Harvey Bernard Milk. Biography.com
[9] Randy Hope, Remembering Harvey Milk. The Gay & Lesbian Times: 2013
Harvey Milk Timeline
• May 22, 1930 - Harvey Milk is born in Woodmere, New York
• 1951-1955 - Harvey Milk serves in the Navy
• 1963 - Harvey Milk begins work at a Wall Street investment firm
• 1972 - Harvey Milk moves to the Castro in San Francisco
• November 1973 - Harvey Milk runs for supervisor and loses
• 1974 - Harvey Milk helps launch the first Castro Street Fair
• November 8, 1977 - Harvey Milk is finally elected to the board of supervisors for District 5. Being the first openly gay man elected to public office.
• April 1978 - A bill Milk introduced, The San Francisco Gay Civil Rights ordinance, is signed by Mayor George Moscone.
• November 27, 1978 - Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone are assassinated by former fellow supervisor Dan White.