Lake View East in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Harvey Milk

The Legacy Walk

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, August 26, 2021

1. Harvey Milk Marker

Inscription.
Harvey Milk
(1^st Openly Gay Man Elected to Public Office in the U.S.)
(1930 - 1978)

Harvey Milk, a U.S. Navy Veteran who served during the Korean War, was the first widely known and nationally recognized openly gay man elected to public office in the United States. In 1977 Milk won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors thanks to a canny political combination of immigrant, elderly, minority, union and gay voter support. His vast grassroots based campaign and subsequent victory signaled a coming-of-age for San Francisco’s LGBT population. Affable and shrewd, politically adept and a skilled negotiator, Milk was destined to enjoy a bright future both within San Francisco’s political realm as well as on the national stage. But it was not to be. On November 27, 1978, a mere 11 months after taking office, Harvey Milk was assassinated along with San Francisco Mayor George Moscone. Disgruntled former City Supervisor Dan White was ultimately convicted, not of first-degree murder, but of the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter – a verdict that triggered riots in the gay community. White served five years, only

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to commit suicide a year after his release from prison. Despite Milk’s short career in politics, he became an icon in San Francisco and "a martyr for gay rights" worldwide. Activist Cleve Jones observed “Though we tend to see our heroes as these mythic people, Harvey was an ordinary man, who faced challenges, defeats and humiliations like the rest of us …but he took the heart of San Francisco.” Anne Kronenberg, who managed Milk’s final campaign, wrote: "What set Harvey apart… was that he was a visionary. He imagined a righteous world inside his head and then he set about to create it for real, for all of us." Milk was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. He remains the most famous openly gay person ever elected to office – an inspiration to the hundreds of men and women who can trace their own courageous forays into public service back to the historic election of Harvey Milk.

Erected 2012 by The Legacy Walk.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Civil Rights • Government & Politics. In addition, it is included in the The Legacy Walk series list. A significant historical date for this entry is November 27, 1978.

Location. 41° 56.698′ N,

Harvey Milk Marker - wide view image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, August 26, 2021

2. Harvey Milk Marker - wide view

The Harvey Milk marker is visible here mounted to a rainbow pylon that it shares with a marker for the Stonewall riots.

87° 38.97′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in Lake View East. It is on North Halsted Street, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3444 North Halsted Street, Chicago IL 60657, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Great Lakes,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Stonewall (here, next to this marker); Frank Kameny (a few steps from this marker); Sgt. Leonard Matlovich (a few steps from this marker); Newport Avenue (within shouting distance of this marker); Billy Strayhorn (about 300 feet away); Vito Russo (about 300 feet away); The Legacy of Matthew Shepard (about 300 feet away); Pauli Murray (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers

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in Chicago.

Other markers no longer nearby. Dr. Margaret "Mom" Chung (was about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line but has been permanently removed); "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias (was about 300 feet away but has been permanently removed).

Also see . . .
1. The Official HARVEY MILK Biography (Harvey Milk Foundation).

"Harvey Milk, was a visionary civil and human rights leader who became one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. Milk’s unprecedented loud and unapologetic proclamation of his authenticity as an openly gay candidate for public office, and his subsequent election gave never before experienced hope to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) people everywhere at a time when the community was encountering widespread hostility and discrimination. His remarkable career was tragically cut short when he was assassinated nearly a year after taking office."

(Submitted on November 22, 2021.)

2. Flashback: Harvey Milk Assassinated In San Francisco | NBC News (YouTube, 2 min.). "In these 1978 news reports, NBC News covers the assassination of openly gay San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk, along with San Francisco Mayor George Moscone." (Submitted on November 22, 2021.)

3. Harvey Milk, George Moscone assassinated in SF: November 27, 1978 (YouTube, 4 min.). "On Nov. 27, 1978, former San Francisco Board of Supervisors member Dan White shot and killed Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. Here is a look back at ABC7's report the day of the assassinations." (Submitted on November 22, 2021.)

Additional keywords. lgbt lgbtq

Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 22, 2021, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 527 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 22, 2021, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.