Saturday is a brand new day in California (no, Schwarzenegger’s not being replaced--yet): It’s the inaugural Harvey Milk Day.
May 22, 2010 is the first official date recognizing gay-rights leader Harvey Milk, who became the first openly gay person to win public office in California when he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. Less than a year later, he and Mayor George Moscone were shot and killed in City Hall by former supervisor Dan White.
May 22 this year would’ve been Milk’s 80th birthday.
Two years ago, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a proposal for Harvey Milk Day.
Then “Milk” hit the big screen and Sean Penn won the best-actor Oscar for his lead role. President Barack Obama awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Milk posthumously. About 40,000 Californians signed a petition supporting an official day to honor him. In the fall of 2009, Schwarzenegger did an about-face and signed a bill to designate Milk Day.
The Castro, where Milk (aka “The Mayor of Castro Street”) lived and managed his camera store/political headquarters, is the scene of a string of activities on Saturday, including a pancake breakfast, a brunch, historical exhibits and special walking tours. A “Milk and Cookies Street Fair” will be centered at the Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy on 19th Street. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are running a noon tricycle race. “Milk,” as well as the Oscar-winning 1984 documentary “The Times of Harvey Milk,” will be screened.
For more information about the day's festivities, see the Harvey Milk Day website.
