Harvey Milk

Date of Birth: May 22, 1930

Zodiac Sign: Gemini

Date of Death: November 27, 1978

Biography

Harvey Bernard Milk was an American politician and the first openly gay elected official in California. Born in Woodmere, New York, Milk moved to San Francisco in 1972 and quickly became a prominent figure in the city’s burgeoning gay rights movement. In 1977, he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, where he championed civil rights for the LGBTQ+ community, affordable housing, and other progressive causes. Milk’s tenure was tragically cut short when he was assassinated by former city supervisor Dan White on November 27, 1978. Despite his short time in office, Milk’s legacy has endured, and he remains a symbol of courage and hope for LGBTQ+ people worldwide.

5 Interesting Facts about Harvey Milk

1. Harvey Milk served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and was honorably discharged as a lieutenant junior grade.

2. He opened a camera store, Castro Camera, which became a hub for the local LGBTQ+ community in San Francisco.

3. Milk was instrumental in defeating Proposition 6, also known as the Briggs Initiative, which sought to ban gay and lesbian individuals from working in California’s public schools.

4. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 by President Barack Obama.

5. The film “Milk,” starring Sean Penn, was released in 2008 and won two Academy Awards, bringing further recognition to Milk’s life and legacy.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Harvey Milk

1. “Hope will never be silent.”

2. “All young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential.”

3. “If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door.”

4. “Rights are won only by those who make their voices heard.”

5. “Burst down those closet doors once and for all, and stand up and start to fight.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Due to his untimely death and the nature of his public service career, Harvey Milk did not accumulate significant personal wealth. Therefore, his net worth is not widely documented.