About Harvey Milk

Harvey Milk was a visionary gay activist. He was born into a Jewish family and raised on Long Island, New York. Like many thousands of LGBT+ people, he emigrated to San Francisco in the 1970s. It was in San Francisco that Harvey Milk grew to become the activist, community organizer and civil rights leader who is now celebrated all over the world.

After they arrived in 1972, Harvey and his lover, Scott Smith, opened Castro Camera on Castro Street. The store quickly became a gathering place and Harvey naturally took on the role of community organizer. Harvey advocated for issues impacting the LGBTQ+ community in the Castro, but also advocated for issues impacting other citizens – including the elderly, families and middle class workers feeling the adverse impacts of the changing economy in San Francisco.

Out of a desire to improve the lives of all these people, Harvey decided to run for District Supervisor in 1973. Despite his broad coalition of supporters, Harvey did not win – but he did not give up. Harvey ran for Supervisor again in 1975 and again, he did not win. But Harvey remained determined.

In 1977, reform championed by progressive Mayor George Moscone changed the way the Board of Supervisors was elected. That year, San Francisco transitioned from at-large elections to district-based elections, which fundamentally altered the city's political landscape and opened the door for Harvey and others. This change was driven by a coalition of neighborhood associations, labor unions, and civic leaders, who argued that district elections would lead to a more inclusive and representative Board – and it did.

In 1977 Harvey Milk became the first openly gay elected official in California, representing the Castro District. Ella Hill Hutch, Gordon Lau, and Carol Ruth Silver were also elected, marking significant milestones in the city's representation.

As his profile grew, so did the risks. Harvey received a steady stream of hate mail and threats. Knowing the dangers, he recorded a will just days after being elected, saying that in the event of his assassination, “All I ask is for the movement to continue.”

Tragically, on November 27, 1978, that threat became a reality. A former colleague of Harvey’s on the Board of Supervisors who had quit his job and found himself unable to be reinstated shot both Mayor Moscone and Harvey Milk. That night, over 25,000 people gathered in the Castro, then marched to City Hall in a silent candlelight vigil from the intersection of Castro & Market Streets. It was a heartbreaking yet powerful reminder that Harvey’s dream and message would live on – that the movement would continue.

Today, Harvey Milk’s spirit is still very much alive in the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ civil rights. His call for each person to work on behalf of others continues to inspire people all over the world to work on behalf of all marginalized people.

Harvey knew the fight wasn’t just about one group—it was about taking action to ensure justice for all. He reminded us that as long as anyone is denied their rights, the work must go on. “There is hope that the system can work for all minorities if we fight. We’ve given them hope.”

That hope – and that call to action to act on behalf of others – will live forever at the new Harvey Milk Plaza.