Harvey Milk Day
Harvey Milk was the first openly gay politician to be elected to public office in California, serving on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 1977 to 1978. His life and political career embody the rise of the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. While in office, Milk advocated for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. Milk was assassinated in 1978 by Dan White, a former colleague on the Board of Supervisors. On October 11, 2009, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger established Harvey Milk Day to be held as a significant observance on May 22, Milk’s birthday.
