Resolution passes on Harvey Milk Day on what would have been politician's 89th birthday
AP photo
SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - May 22nd marks Harvey Milk's birthday. The first openly-gay elected official in California, who was assassinated in 1978 by a political rival, is honored every year with Harvey Milk Day.
The day was established by his nephew Stuart Milk and San Francisco's Harvey Milk Foundation in 2010.
SR 36, a resolution to honor the pioneering politician, authored by Mark Leno and introduced by State Sen. Scott Wiener, passed 36-0 on Wednesday on what would have been Milk's 89th birthday.
The resolution lists Milk's notable contributions and officially recognizes his legacy on Harvey Milk Day 2019.
"Harvey played a critical role in creating the modern LGBT movement - our movement for equality, for dignity and to have a seat at the table," Wiener said on Wednesday.
Milk's brutal assassination, along with Mayor George Moscone at the hands of Dan White was 41 years ago. White, a former SFPD officer and firefighter wanted his supervisor's job back after he had resigned to run a small business on Pier 39. %INLINE%
When Mayor Moscone, in a meeting, denied White's request, he was shot and killed. White then went to Milk's City Hall office and assassinated him as well.
White was convicted of voluntary manslaughter on grounds of diminished capacity. It was the lightest possible charge. Many criticized the sentence as too lenient. The community responded with the White Night Riots, which just had its 40th anniversary this week.
Milk was widely honored on social media on Harvey Milk Day Wednesday.
"I served with Harvey Milk on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors until his assassination in [1978]. His relentless pursuit of equality for all continues to inspire us today. On what would have been his 89th birthday, let's celebrate what he stood for." Senator Dianne Feinstein tweeted.
"Harvey died for our community. He inspires me and so many others to fight for justice & equity," State Sen. Wiener added.
California Labor Federation touted Milk's labor union affiliation with the Teamsters. They said he worked to end gender, racial and labor discrimination at Coors beer.
Local politicians did not ignore his work. Mayor London Breed said Milk represented the underrepresented and that he left a legacy of "tolerance" and "acceptance."
Breed concluded we should be striving to advance those attributes today.