Late San Francisco supervisor and gay rights activist remembered on Harvey Milk Day
AP photo
SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - Bay Area residents joined political leaders, human rights groups and others to mark Harvey Milk Day in honor of the late San Francisco supervisor and gay rights activist who would have turned 88 on Tuesday.
Milk was an outspoken activist for gay rights and also championed for the rights of farm workers, low-income tenants, laborers and homeless youth.
In 1977, he became the first openly gay person to serve in public office in California when he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
Milk was assassinated on November 27, 1978 along with Mayor George Moscone. They were gunned down by Dan White, who was another city supervisor, in City Hall.
The Human Rights Campaign remembered Milk on Tuesday, tweeting a quote from the civil rights leader: "Hope will never be silent," the group wrote.
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi took to Twitter and said his legacy continues to inspire.
Last month Mayor Mark Farrell signed legislation naming San Francisco International Airport's Terminal 1 after Milk. "San Francisco has a very strong place in our nation's history of civil rights activism for standing up for what is right and Harvey was the epitome of those efforts," Farrell said during the ceremony held at City Hall in April.
On Tuesday, the "LGBT History Museum" in San Francisco offered free admission in Milk's honor.