Harvey Milk
Overview
Harvey Bernard Milk was an American politician who became the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California
when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
. Politics and gay activism were not his early interests; he was not open about his homosexuality
and did not participate in civic matters until around the age of 40, after his experiences in the counterculture of the 1960s
.
Milk moved from New York City
to settle in San Francisco in 1972 amid a migration of gay men to the Castro District.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
San Francisco Board of Supervisors
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is the legislative body within the government of the City and County of San Francisco, California, United States.-Government and politics:...
. Politics and gay activism were not his early interests; he was not open about his homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
and did not participate in civic matters until around the age of 40, after his experiences in the counterculture of the 1960s
Counterculture of the 1960s
The counterculture of the 1960s refers to a cultural movement that mainly developed in the United States and spread throughout much of the western world between 1960 and 1973. The movement gained momentum during the U.S. government's extensive military intervention in Vietnam...
.
Milk moved from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to settle in San Francisco in 1972 amid a migration of gay men to the Castro District.
Quotations
If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door in the country
From a tape recording (1977-11-18) to be played in the event of his assassination, quoted in Randy Shilts, The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk (1982), pp. 372. Milk made three recordings for this purpose; these words come from the version given to Frank Robinson.