Harvey Milk Day ― Date, History, and Details
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History of Harvey Milk Day and How to Celebrate/ Observe It
Harvey Milk Day is a public holiday in California, observed on the anniversary of the assassination of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in the United States. The day was established by the California Legislature in 2009. It is not a federal holiday, so businesses and schools remain open.
Milk was born in New York City in 1930 and moved to San Francisco in 1972. He became involved in politics and helped to found the Gay Liberation Front and the Castro Street Fair. He was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977 and became a powerful voice for the gay community.
On November 27, 1978, Milk and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated by former supervisor Dan White. The murders shocked the nation and led to the passage of hate crime legislation.
In 2009, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill establishing Harvey Milk Day. The holiday is celebrated with events and activities across the state, including the planting of a tree in Harvey Milk Plaza in San Francisco.