Harvey Milk (May 22, 1930 – November 27, 1978), San Francisco, California, March 1978. Photo © Dan Nicoletta. [TW]
Harvey Milk’s brief tenure on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors was historic for many reasons, not the least of which was that he proved himself uniquely capable of forming alliances and getting things done. Milk started his term by sponsoring the most sweeping LGBT-inclusive anti-discrimination ordinance in the country and then moved on to attack what voters identified as the city’s worst problem: dog shit.
Early in his term, Milk sided with Supervisor Dan White against the placement of a mental health facility in White’s district; upon learning more about the issue, however, Milk switched his vote, ensuring a loss for White. From then on, White voted against Milk on every bill that came up.
On November 10, 1978, ten months into his term, White abruptly resigned from the Board, only to seek reinstatement from Mayor George Moscone days later. While the turmoil gripped the city for a few days, it soon was overshadowed by news of the mass suicide of hundreds of members of the San Francisco-based Peoples Temple in Jonestown, Guyana. In the meantime, at the urging of a number of Supervisors, including Milk, Moscone chose to replace White, a decision he planned to announce the morning of November 27.
On Monday, November 27, 1978, thirty-eight years ago today, thirty minutes before the Mayor’s press conference, Dan White avoided City Hall security by climbing through a window, went to Moscone’s office, and shot the Mayor four times, including twice in the head. He quickly crossed the hall, reloading as he went, entered Milk’s office, and shot Milk five times, including twice in the head.
Soon after, Dianne Feinstein announced to the press, “Today San Francisco has experienced a double tragedy of immense proportions. As President of the Board of Supervisors, it is my duty to inform you that both Mayor Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk have been shot and killed, and the suspect is Supervisor Dan White.”
Harvey Milk was forty-eight; Moscone was forty-nine. #lgbthistory #HavePrideInHistory #HarveyMilk (at San Francisco, California)
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