{"submission_id":"607619","keywords":[{"keyword_id":"183139","keyword_name":"civil rights","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"2"},{"keyword_id":"1559","keyword_name":"college","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"984"},{"keyword_id":"28707","keyword_name":"essay","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"23"},{"keyword_id":"236","keyword_name":"gay","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"76974"},{"keyword_id":"192730","keyword_name":"harvey milk","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"1"},{"keyword_id":"146187","keyword_name":"jakem","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"101"},{"keyword_id":"6227","keyword_name":"lgbt","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"123"},{"keyword_id":"1375","keyword_name":"work","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"1036"},{"keyword_id":"13849","keyword_name":"writing","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"554"}],"hidden":"f","scraps":"f","favorite":"f","favorites_count":"4","create_datetime":"2014-05-01 23:14:03.522967+02","create_datetime_usertime":"01 May 2014 23:14 CEST","last_file_update_datetime":"2014-05-01 22:37:05.182333+02","last_file_update_datetime_usertime":"01 May 2014 22:37 CEST","username":"JakeM","user_id":"180146","user_icon_file_name":"125495_JakeM_jake_icon.png","user_icon_url_large":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/usericons/large/125/125495_JakeM_jake_icon.png","user_icon_url_medium":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/usericons/medium/125/125495_JakeM_jake_icon.png","user_icon_url_small":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/usericons/small/125/125495_JakeM_jake_icon.png","file_name":"798514_JakeM_final_essay.doc","file_url_full":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/files/full/798/798514_JakeM_final_essay.doc","file_url_screen":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/files/screen/798/798514_JakeM_final_essay.doc","file_url_preview":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/798/798514_JakeM_final_essay.doc","thumbnail_url_huge":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/huge/798/798514_JakeM_final_essay.jpg","thumbnail_url_large":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/large/798/798514_JakeM_final_essay.jpg","thumbnail_url_medium":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/798/798514_JakeM_final_essay.jpg","thumb_huge_x":"200","thumb_huge_y":"200","thumb_large_x":"200","thumb_large_y":"200","thumb_medium_x":"120","thumb_medium_y":"120","files":[{"file_id":"798514","file_name":"798514_JakeM_final_essay.doc","file_url_full":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/files/full/798/798514_JakeM_final_essay.doc","file_url_screen":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/files/screen/798/798514_JakeM_final_essay.doc","file_url_preview":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/798/798514_JakeM_final_essay.doc","mimetype":"application/msword","submission_id":"607619","user_id":"180146","submission_file_order":"0","full_size_x":null,"full_size_y":null,"screen_size_x":null,"screen_size_y":null,"preview_size_x":null,"preview_size_y":null,"initial_file_md5":"af4ae8c211dbc4b5b71584d1840ef8d5","full_file_md5":"af4ae8c211dbc4b5b71584d1840ef8d5","large_file_md5":"","small_file_md5":"","thumbnail_md5":"23aafe37130ee3db0abc3211d0c110fb","deleted":"f","create_datetime":"2014-05-01 22:37:05.182333+02","create_datetime_usertime":"01 May 2014 22:37 CEST","thumbnail_url_huge":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/huge/798/798514_JakeM_final_essay.jpg","thumbnail_url_large":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/large/798/798514_JakeM_final_essay.jpg","thumbnail_url_medium":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/798/798514_JakeM_final_essay.jpg","thumb_huge_x":"200","thumb_huge_y":"200","thumb_large_x":"200","thumb_large_y":"200","thumb_medium_x":"120","thumb_medium_y":"120"}],"pools":[],"description":"Okay so here's the essay I've been writing for the past year for college about the Historical significance of Harvey Milk - an extremely important to me, and to anyone else who is a minority because of their sexual orientation.\n\nPLEASE NOTE! I have ad to remove ALL of the referencing from this essay to make it readable in the Inkbunny view window. Please download it to see it as it was intended to be read. \n\nSource one can be found: [url=https://d1j2diro5xke84.cloudfront.net/photo-articles/featured_images/2096/original/milk3.jpg?1367872180]HERE[/url]\n\nNot the usual sort of thing you get on Inkbunny, but I just thought I'd give you an example of the thing that has made it impossible for me to do any furry stories this year - and now that it's over, I'm hoping to get right back to it!\n\nPlease let me know what you think, and don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.","description_bbcode_parsed":"Okay so here's the essay I've been writing for the past year for college about the Historical significance of Harvey Milk - an extremely important to me, and to anyone else who is a minority because of their sexual orientation.
PLEASE NOTE! I have ad to remove ALL of the referencing from this essay to make it readable in the Inkbunny view window. Please download it to see it as it was intended to be read.
Not the usual sort of thing you get on Inkbunny, but I just thought I'd give you an example of the thing that has made it impossible for me to do any furry stories this year - and now that it's over, I'm hoping to get right back to it!
Please let me know what you think, and don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.","writing":"[u][center]What is the Historical Significance of Harvey Milk?[/center][/u]\n\n[u]JakeM[/u]\n\n\tHarvey Bernard Milk (May 22, 1930 – November 27, 1978) was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in The United States after he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. This essay will assess his historical significance at both the time of his activism and political campaigns, as well as following his assassination up to the modern day, and whether his significance has changed for any particular reason. I believe that Milk, who did not become involved in politics or gay activism until his early 40s, was an extremely important figure, not only for those in the LGBT community of San Francisco's Castro district, or those all over the United States at the time, or those living in the late 1970s when homosexuality was either outlawed or at the very least taboo, but for every minority that has experienced persecution for their beliefs around the world. This man can be and is seen as an icon, not only for those who the aims of his campaigns directly affected, but for anyone who has experienced what it is like to live in fear, to be scared to go out, because they may be beaten or mugged, because they are different. The subject of an Oscar winning 2008 biopic 'Milk' I believe his significance has not diminished, but has developed and evolved over the past 35 years into an international symbol of hope and strength for all. To assess this I will draw from numerous sources both from the time and the past 35 years that give an insight and a range of views into his historical significance.\n\t\nMilk found his passion for activism and politics at rather a late stage in his life - moving to San Francisco's now famous Castro district with his partner with whom he set up Castro Camera in 1973, the focal point for Milk's campaigns throughout his career, it became a central point in the Castro's LGBT community. I believe there are 2 sides in which Milk's significance lies at the time prior to his assassination; his significance as a politicalfigure, and his significance as an activist. They are both heavily mixed, with Milk achieving his aims as an activist through his role as a politician.\n\t\nAs a politician, it took him three goes until he was finally elected onto San Francisco's board of supervisors on November 9th 1977 his 2 previous attempts failing by not a particularly large margin. This shows that although it may have taken him several attempts, his will and drive did not diminish and he remained true to what he believed in, still fighting to get elected and make a difference. Not only had San Francisco elected the first open homosexual to public office anywhere in the United States but they also elected the city's first black woman supervisor. This said there was a degree of animosity towards homosexuals, and in particular their figurehead, Milk. \n\n\tAs previously stated, Milk's politics was often mixed with his activism, issues such as the homosexual rights ordinance later passed in San Francisco and the Briggs Initiative. This shows that his personal beliefs and views were important to him in his politics and that he stood up for what he believed was right, not just what he thought would get him votes. The ordinance, described as one of the most 'stringent and encompassing' in the country would ban discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodation based on sexual identification. It was passed through with only one of the eleven supervisors opposing it (Dan White). The gay pride parade that followed later that year was the biggest that had ever been seen, with 240,000 people attending the festivities. This was a chance to see Milk in all his glory as an activist, rather than constrained in the political sphere, giving people an opportunity to see him for the passionate man he was. He rode around atop a car with a placard reading 'I'm from Woodmere N.Y.' [see source 1] he appears joyful, happy and determined, with an army of like-minded individuals carrying an array of placards as they walk the streets of San Francisco, photographs were important at this time as instant news coverage was not as available as it is today, and important scenes like this can accurately show current (or near current) events.\n\t\nAnother example of Milk showing his political prowess was on a daytime programme called 'News Talk' in which he was asked on as a last minute personal favour to the host, Juana Samayoa. They discussed Proposition 6, or the John Briggs Initiative which was described as a 'Right Wing conservative backlash' to the increasing success of the Gay Rights Movement in San Francisco. The failed initiative would have banned homosexuals and possibly anyone who supported gay rights from working in public schools. The Interview is not only a look into Milk's views and stature as a politician, of which there is rich evidence from his writings, articles and interviews, it is also a look into him as a person, showing the passion he has for what he does and that he is a genuinely nice person - showing his significance as both a well informed and passionate politician, and his social awareness. For this project I got in touch with Samayoa, and she said of Milk: 'He was a courageous, kind, wise, politically savvy man with a great sense of humour.'\n\n\tMilk's significance as a figure has, in my opinion, not changed a great deal since the time surrounding his assassination, I feel he is still as important and influential now as he was in 1978, particularly at a time when the issue of same sex marriage is very much front page news in many countries. The Harvey Milk foundation are advocates of gay marriage and keep Milk's principals alive today. To assess his significance post-assassination up to the present day I will be looking at a number of sources from a commemorative and developmental approach. \n\n\tIn the several years after the murder of Moscone and Milk, his significance was undeniable, as there were a myriad of articles documenting the fallout from the catastrophic event, memorials and even riots. The night following his assassination an impromptu gathering of 25,000 people held a silent candle lit vigil in which they walked from Castro Street to City hall to mark their respect for the fallen. I feel this shows very effectively how important Milk was to this community and how his assassination affected them in such a profound way. The newspaper articles I have used are mostly from the New York times, which is in general a reliable source, however as the events surrounding Milk's death are so shocking and rocked a whole city, it is possible that some of the details found in articles at this time may have been exaggerated, or twisted to seem more shocking than perhaps they actually were - this is the risk taken when using any form of news paper article as a source.\n\n\tEvidence for Milk's importance to the people as an activist and politician would be the events following the lenient sentencing of Dan White following the double assassination. White was sentenced to 7 years and 8 months in prison under the charge of Voluntary Manslaughter, the least serious offence, after the defence pleaded a 'Twinkie Defence' which argued that White's diet of junk food increased his depression. This sparked outrage from the homosexual community and lead to a march from Castro Street, their numbers reaching 5,000 by the time they reached city hall. After hours of shouting and protesting the police deployed Tear Gas which would end what was to become known as The White Night Riots in which 60 officers were injured and about two-dozen arrests were made. This reaction from the homosexual community shows greatly how significant he was to them, his views and success in office marked a turning point for the gay rights movement in the US and all over the world - he became a symbol of hope to millions of people. \n\n\t1984 saw the release of the Academy-Award-Winning documentary 'The Times of Harvey Milk' which documents Milk's rise from a neighbourhood activist to a symbol of gay political achievement, through to his assassination, and the Dan White trial and aftermath. In 2012, the film was deemed \"culturally, historically or aesthetically significant\" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. The fact that a film was released about him 6 years after his death, shows that his significance hadn't diminished, and it could be argued that the accolades attributed to the documentary came about from the content and subject matter. However, it is difficult to connect the success of a documentary about his life to the man himself - the awards could have been for the film itself, taking into account the production and directing, something Milk had no part in. Similarly to this, in 1995 an Opera based on Milk's life was made and toured the world to much success and critical acclaim showing further that his significance was evident through the decades following his death, and that his legacy was going strong nearly 20 years later. Again, however, the acclaim received by the opera cannot be appointed to Milk himself, and it may simply be referring to 'Wallace and his skilful librettist, Michael Korie'.\n\n\tAs previously stated, the issue of same sex marriage is very prominent in the media today, and that which Milk achieved in the late '70s is being drawn upon in comparison to today's issues. Milk's importance in the present day is partly down to the 2008 Double-Academy-Award-Winning Biopic 'Milk' written by Dustin Lance Black which brought to light the events in San Francisco in the late '70s to a whole new audience of people who otherwise may not have heard of them. Again, a further example of significance for the film, rather than Milk himself, though it could be argued that the film itself lead to his significance being reassessed and more attention given to him and his achievements. For example, in October 2009 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger passed a bill commemorating May 22nd (Milk's Birthday) as Harvey Milk Day in California having vetoed a similar bill the previous year. The publicity created by the film made a difference to the change in decision, a spokesman for Schwarzenegger saying that 'he's really come to symbolise the gay community in California.'\n\n\tThere have been numerous honours given to Milk posthumously which give a clear insight into his significance as an icon to many people. One in particular is the creation of 'Harvey Milk High School' in New York City, a school for LGBT students that began in 1984 and expanded in 2003. An important institution that gives its students 'an opportunity to obtain a secondary education in a safe and supportive environment', I feel gives an excellent look at how Milk's legacy lives on and how he is an important icon, in particular in the present day when these issues often feature in the media. \n\n\tIn the space of merely a few years Harvey Milk was elevated from a simple gay camera store owner to the first openly homosexual city supervisor elected to public office in the United States. His significance as a historical figure can only be assessed if we take a look at how his significance was perceived during his years of political and philanthropic work, and the 35 years following his assassination. \n\n\tAt the time of his political career and activism he became an icon to the thousands of homosexual people living in California, he became a symbol of hope to them that they would be seen as legally equal to their straight counterparts, essentially their figurehead. Where Milk showed his political prowess in gaining support for himself outside of the homosexual community was with a city wide ordinance that made it law for dog owners to have to clean up their pets' excrement in public places. It became known colloquially as the colloquially as the 'pooper scooper law,' and served to make milk extremely popular among many people. Anne Kronenberg, Milk's campaign manager, called him a 'master at figuring out what would get him covered in the newspaper.' A popular politician among the residents of San Francisco, and an Idol for homosexuals across California, Milk was loved by many and his assassination was a tragedy felt across the United States, but nowhere more strongly than in the Castro. In this neighbourhood he has and always will be seen as significant. \n\n\tHis significance directly following his assassination was high, being described as a gay martyr by news outlets as early as 1979. His significance to the community is well demonstrated by both the 30,000-strong candle-lit vigil after his assassination, and the White Night Riots fuelled by the sentencing of Dan White - both previously explored in this essay. With half a year between his assassination and the White Night Riots, it is clear the wounds were still open and his tragic death was still in hearts of many San Franciscans. \n\n\tWhilst still recognised as important throughout the '80s and '90s, a few instances - for example, the success of the 'Times of Harvey Milk' documentary in 1984 and the opening of the Harvey Milk High School - show he was still acknowledged as being a person of historical significance. He was much less in the public's eye as he was at the time of his life. Yes, he was still seen as significant, but there wasn't as much recognition for him in the wider community. In the past 6 years he has been brought back to the public's attention with Dustin Lance Black's double-Oscar-winning biopic 'Milk' which served the purpose of retelling his story to a younger and international audience that otherwise may not have heard about him, and at a time when LGBT rights are so prominent in the media his activism in the late 1970s is relevant in the present day. As previously explored he has received many accolades in recent times, and it can be inferred that this is due to the publicity from 'Milk' - such as Governor Schwarzenegger's u-turn on the Harvey Milk Day public holiday bill in 2009, or the more recent Commemorative Stamp issued in the US to mark the 35th anniversary of his Assassination. Both of these are excellent examples of his continuing and growing historical significance.\n\t\nWith figures such as Harvey Milk who dealt with civil rights issues, their historical significance tends to grow as time passes, something which I think has clearly happened to Milk. Seen as a symbol of the San Francisco LGBT community during his life, his significance has since been elevated to global proportions with the help of 'Milk' and The Harvey Milk Foundation, and will continue to grow as long as there is persecution of the LGBT community. \n\n-----------------------\n\n[u][center]Sources[/center][/u]\n\n[u]Source 1:[/u]\n\nSchmitt, T. Photograph: Gay Freedom Day Parade. The San Francisco Chronicle, (June 25th 1978)\n\nPlease see below for link.\n\n[u][center]Bibliography[/center][/u]\n\n[u]Books:[/u]\n\n-Krakow, K. THE Harvey Milk Story (United States: Two Lives Publishing, 2002)\n-Milk, H. Edited: Emery, V. The Harvey Milk Interviews: In His Own Words (United Kingdom: Vince Emery Productions, 2012)\n-Milk, H. Edited: Edward Black, J. and Morris, C III. An Archive of Hope (United States: University of California Press, 2013)\n-Shilts, R. The Mayor of Castro Street: The Times of Harvey Milk (United States: St. Martin's Griffin, 1982)\n\n[u]Articles:[/u]\n\n-Alexander, K. 'Postal Service to issue Harvey Milk stamp' San Francisco Chronicle (October 11th 2013). Available at: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Postal-Service-to-issue-Harvey-Milk-stamp-4888960.php\n-Anon 'First Public Gay High School to Open in NYC' CNN (July 29th 2003). Available at: http://web.archive.org/web/20050912190441/http://edition.cnn.com/2003/EDUCATION/07/28/gay.school.ap/\n-Anon 'Gay Rights Activist Milk Honoured' BBC News (October 12th 2009). Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8303917.stm\n-Anon 'Homosexual on Board Sites Role as Pioneer' The New York Times (November 10th 1977).\n-Gorney, C. \"The Legacy of Dan White; A stronger gay community looks back at the tumult\". The Washington Post. (January 4, 1984).\n-King, S. \"National Film Registry selects 25 films for preservation \" Los Angeles Times (December 19, 2012). Available at: http://articles.latimes.com/2012/dec/19/entertainment/la-et-mn-national-film-registry-20121217\n-Ledbetter, L. 'Bill on Homosexual Rights Passes in San Francisco' The New York Times (March 22nd 1978).\n-Ledbetter, L. '2 Deaths Mourned By San Franciscans' The New York Times (November 29th 1978).\n-Porter, A. ' Classical Milk of human kindness Harvey Milk and Simon Bolivar are the latest in a long line of American operas about American heroes, writes Andrew Porter' The Guardian (January 29th 1995). Available at: http://search.proquest.com/news/docview/294900046/1424C138BF726411222/88?accountid=162623\n-Schmitt, T. Photograph: Gay Freedom Day Parade. The San Francisco Chronicle, (June 25th 1978). Available at: http://www.sfgate.com/lgbt/article/Pride-Parade-s-evolution-since-the-70s-4638409.php\n-Turner, W. 'Ex-Official Guilty of Manslaughter In Slayings on Coast; 3,000 Protest; Protesters Beat on Doors Ex-Official -Guilty of Manslaughter in Coast Slayings Lifelong San Franciscan' The New York Times (May 22nd 1979)\n\n[u]Film:[/u]\n\n-Milk, Dir. Van Sant, G. (2008) DVD, Axon Films, Groundswell Productions, Jinks/Cohen Company.\nNews Talk, Television Interview. Interviewer: Samayoa, J. KBHK-TV, (1978). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVlxq7wqgeU\n-Times of Harvey Milk. Dir. Epstein R. DVD, Pacific Arts, 1984.\n\n","writing_bbcode_parsed":"
What is the Historical Significance of Harvey Milk?
JakeM
\tHarvey Bernard Milk (May 22, 1930 – November 27, 1978) was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in The United States after he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. This essay will assess his historical significance at both the time of his activism and political campaigns, as well as following his assassination up to the modern day, and whether his significance has changed for any particular reason. I believe that Milk, who did not become involved in politics or gay activism until his early 40s, was an extremely important figure, not only for those in the LGBT community of San Francisco's Castro district, or those all over the United States at the time, or those living in the late 1970s when homosexuality was either outlawed or at the very least taboo, but for every minority that has experienced persecution for their beliefs around the world. This man can be and is seen as an icon, not only for those who the aims of his campaigns directly affected, but for anyone who has experienced what it is like to live in fear, to be scared to go out, because they may be beaten or mugged, because they are different. The subject of an Oscar winning 2008 biopic 'Milk' I believe his significance has not diminished, but has developed and evolved over the past 35 years into an international symbol of hope and strength for all. To assess this I will draw from numerous sources both from the time and the past 35 years that give an insight and a range of views into his historical significance. \t Milk found his passion for activism and politics at rather a late stage in his life - moving to San Francisco's now famous Castro district with his partner with whom he set up Castro Camera in 1973, the focal point for Milk's campaigns throughout his career, it became a central point in the Castro's LGBT community. I believe there are 2 sides in which Milk's significance lies at the time prior to his assassination; his significance as a politicalfigure, and his significance as an activist. They are both heavily mixed, with Milk achieving his aims as an activist through his role as a politician. \t As a politician, it took him three goes until he was finally elected onto San Francisco's board of supervisors on November 9th 1977 his 2 previous attempts failing by not a particularly large margin. This shows that although it may have taken him several attempts, his will and drive did not diminish and he remained true to what he believed in, still fighting to get elected and make a difference. Not only had San Francisco elected the first open homosexual to public office anywhere in the United States but they also elected the city's first black woman supervisor. This said there was a degree of animosity towards homosexuals, and in particular their figurehead, Milk.
\tAs previously stated, Milk's politics was often mixed with his activism, issues such as the homosexual rights ordinance later passed in San Francisco and the Briggs Initiative. This shows that his personal beliefs and views were important to him in his politics and that he stood up for what he believed was right, not just what he thought would get him votes. The ordinance, described as one of the most 'stringent and encompassing' in the country would ban discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodation based on sexual identification. It was passed through with only one of the eleven supervisors opposing it (Dan White). The gay pride parade that followed later that year was the biggest that had ever been seen, with 240,000 people attending the festivities. This was a chance to see Milk in all his glory as an activist, rather than constrained in the political sphere, giving people an opportunity to see him for the passionate man he was. He rode around atop a car with a placard reading 'I'm from Woodmere N.Y.' [see source 1] he appears joyful, happy and determined, with an army of like-minded individuals carrying an array of placards as they walk the streets of San Francisco, photographs were important at this time as instant news coverage was not as available as it is today, and important scenes like this can accurately show current (or near current) events. \t Another example of Milk showing his political prowess was on a daytime programme called 'News Talk' in which he was asked on as a last minute personal favour to the host, Juana Samayoa. They discussed Proposition 6, or the John Briggs Initiative which was described as a 'Right Wing conservative backlash' to the increasing success of the Gay Rights Movement in San Francisco. The failed initiative would have banned homosexuals and possibly anyone who supported gay rights from working in public schools. The Interview is not only a look into Milk's views and stature as a politician, of which there is rich evidence from his writings, articles and interviews, it is also a look into him as a person, showing the passion he has for what he does and that he is a genuinely nice person - showing his significance as both a well informed and passionate politician, and his social awareness. For this project I got in touch with Samayoa, and she said of Milk: 'He was a courageous, kind, wise, politically savvy man with a great sense of humour.'
\tMilk's significance as a figure has, in my opinion, not changed a great deal since the time surrounding his assassination, I feel he is still as important and influential now as he was in 1978, particularly at a time when the issue of same sex marriage is very much front page news in many countries. The Harvey Milk foundation are advocates of gay marriage and keep Milk's principals alive today. To assess his significance post-assassination up to the present day I will be looking at a number of sources from a commemorative and developmental approach.
\tIn the several years after the murder of Moscone and Milk, his significance was undeniable, as there were a myriad of articles documenting the fallout from the catastrophic event, memorials and even riots. The night following his assassination an impromptu gathering of 25,000 people held a silent candle lit vigil in which they walked from Castro Street to City hall to mark their respect for the fallen. I feel this shows very effectively how important Milk was to this community and how his assassination affected them in such a profound way. The newspaper articles I have used are mostly from the New York times, which is in general a reliable source, however as the events surrounding Milk's death are so shocking and rocked a whole city, it is possible that some of the details found in articles at this time may have been exaggerated, or twisted to seem more shocking than perhaps they actually were - this is the risk taken when using any form of news paper article as a source.
\tEvidence for Milk's importance to the people as an activist and politician would be the events following the lenient sentencing of Dan White following the double assassination. White was sentenced to 7 years and 8 months in prison under the charge of Voluntary Manslaughter, the least serious offence, after the defence pleaded a 'Twinkie Defence' which argued that White's diet of junk food increased his depression. This sparked outrage from the homosexual community and lead to a march from Castro Street, their numbers reaching 5,000 by the time they reached city hall. After hours of shouting and protesting the police deployed Tear Gas which would end what was to become known as The White Night Riots in which 60 officers were injured and about two-dozen arrests were made. This reaction from the homosexual community shows greatly how significant he was to them, his views and success in office marked a turning point for the gay rights movement in the US and all over the world - he became a symbol of hope to millions of people.
\t1984 saw the release of the Academy-Award-Winning documentary 'The Times of Harvey Milk' which documents Milk's rise from a neighbourhood activist to a symbol of gay political achievement, through to his assassination, and the Dan White trial and aftermath. In 2012, the film was deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. The fact that a film was released about him 6 years after his death, shows that his significance hadn't diminished, and it could be argued that the accolades attributed to the documentary came about from the content and subject matter. However, it is difficult to connect the success of a documentary about his life to the man himself - the awards could have been for the film itself, taking into account the production and directing, something Milk had no part in. Similarly to this, in 1995 an Opera based on Milk's life was made and toured the world to much success and critical acclaim showing further that his significance was evident through the decades following his death, and that his legacy was going strong nearly 20 years later. Again, however, the acclaim received by the opera cannot be appointed to Milk himself, and it may simply be referring to 'Wallace and his skilful librettist, Michael Korie'.
\tAs previously stated, the issue of same sex marriage is very prominent in the media today, and that which Milk achieved in the late '70s is being drawn upon in comparison to today's issues. Milk's importance in the present day is partly down to the 2008 Double-Academy-Award-Winning Biopic 'Milk' written by Dustin Lance Black which brought to light the events in San Francisco in the late '70s to a whole new audience of people who otherwise may not have heard of them. Again, a further example of significance for the film, rather than Milk himself, though it could be argued that the film itself lead to his significance being reassessed and more attention given to him and his achievements. For example, in October 2009 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger passed a bill commemorating May 22nd (Milk's Birthday) as Harvey Milk Day in California having vetoed a similar bill the previous year. The publicity created by the film made a difference to the change in decision, a spokesman for Schwarzenegger saying that 'he's really come to symbolise the gay community in California.'
\tThere have been numerous honours given to Milk posthumously which give a clear insight into his significance as an icon to many people. One in particular is the creation of 'Harvey Milk High School' in New York City, a school for LGBT students that began in 1984 and expanded in 2003. An important institution that gives its students 'an opportunity to obtain a secondary education in a safe and supportive environment', I feel gives an excellent look at how Milk's legacy lives on and how he is an important icon, in particular in the present day when these issues often feature in the media.
\tIn the space of merely a few years Harvey Milk was elevated from a simple gay camera store owner to the first openly homosexual city supervisor elected to public office in the United States. His significance as a historical figure can only be assessed if we take a look at how his significance was perceived during his years of political and philanthropic work, and the 35 years following his assassination.
\tAt the time of his political career and activism he became an icon to the thousands of homosexual people living in California, he became a symbol of hope to them that they would be seen as legally equal to their straight counterparts, essentially their figurehead. Where Milk showed his political prowess in gaining support for himself outside of the homosexual community was with a city wide ordinance that made it law for dog owners to have to clean up their pets' excrement in public places. It became known colloquially as the colloquially as the 'pooper scooper law,' and served to make milk extremely popular among many people. Anne Kronenberg, Milk's campaign manager, called him a 'master at figuring out what would get him covered in the newspaper.' A popular politician among the residents of San Francisco, and an Idol for homosexuals across California, Milk was loved by many and his assassination was a tragedy felt across the United States, but nowhere more strongly than in the Castro. In this neighbourhood he has and always will be seen as significant.
\tHis significance directly following his assassination was high, being described as a gay martyr by news outlets as early as 1979. His significance to the community is well demonstrated by both the 30,000-strong candle-lit vigil after his assassination, and the White Night Riots fuelled by the sentencing of Dan White - both previously explored in this essay. With half a year between his assassination and the White Night Riots, it is clear the wounds were still open and his tragic death was still in hearts of many San Franciscans.
\tWhilst still recognised as important throughout the '80s and '90s, a few instances - for example, the success of the 'Times of Harvey Milk' documentary in 1984 and the opening of the Harvey Milk High School - show he was still acknowledged as being a person of historical significance. He was much less in the public's eye as he was at the time of his life. Yes, he was still seen as significant, but there wasn't as much recognition for him in the wider community. In the past 6 years he has been brought back to the public's attention with Dustin Lance Black's double-Oscar-winning biopic 'Milk' which served the purpose of retelling his story to a younger and international audience that otherwise may not have heard about him, and at a time when LGBT rights are so prominent in the media his activism in the late 1970s is relevant in the present day. As previously explored he has received many accolades in recent times, and it can be inferred that this is due to the publicity from 'Milk' - such as Governor Schwarzenegger's u-turn on the Harvey Milk Day public holiday bill in 2009, or the more recent Commemorative Stamp issued in the US to mark the 35th anniversary of his Assassination. Both of these are excellent examples of his continuing and growing historical significance. \t With figures such as Harvey Milk who dealt with civil rights issues, their historical significance tends to grow as time passes, something which I think has clearly happened to Milk. Seen as a symbol of the San Francisco LGBT community during his life, his significance has since been elevated to global proportions with the help of 'Milk' and The Harvey Milk Foundation, and will continue to grow as long as there is persecution of the LGBT community.
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Sources
Source 1:
Schmitt, T. Photograph: Gay Freedom Day Parade. The San Francisco Chronicle, (June 25th 1978)
Please see below for link.
Bibliography
Books:
-Krakow, K. THE Harvey Milk Story (United States: Two Lives Publishing, 2002) -Milk, H. Edited: Emery, V. The Harvey Milk Interviews: In His Own Words (United Kingdom: Vince Emery Productions, 2012) -Milk, H. Edited: Edward Black, J. and Morris, C III. An Archive of Hope (United States: University of California Press, 2013) -Shilts, R. The Mayor of Castro Street: The Times of Harvey Milk (United States: St. Martin's Griffin, 1982)
Articles:
-Alexander, K. 'Postal Service to issue Harvey Milk stamp' San Francisco Chronicle (October 11th 2013). Available at: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Postal-Service-t... -Anon 'First Public Gay High School to Open in NYC' CNN (July 29th 2003). Available at: http://web.archive.org/web/20050912190441/http://editi... -Anon 'Gay Rights Activist Milk Honoured' BBC News (October 12th 2009). Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8303917.stm -Anon 'Homosexual on Board Sites Role as Pioneer' The New York Times (November 10th 1977). -Gorney, C. "The Legacy of Dan White; A stronger gay community looks back at the tumult". The Washington Post. (January 4, 1984). -King, S. "National Film Registry selects 25 films for preservation " Los Angeles Times (December 19, 2012). Available at: http://articles.latimes.com/2012/dec/19/entertainment/... -Ledbetter, L. 'Bill on Homosexual Rights Passes in San Francisco' The New York Times (March 22nd 1978). -Ledbetter, L. '2 Deaths Mourned By San Franciscans' The New York Times (November 29th 1978). -Porter, A. ' Classical Milk of human kindness Harvey Milk and Simon Bolivar are the latest in a long line of American operas about American heroes, writes Andrew Porter' The Guardian (January 29th 1995). Available at: http://search.proquest.com/news/docview/294900046/1424... -Schmitt, T. Photograph: Gay Freedom Day Parade. The San Francisco Chronicle, (June 25th 1978). Available at: http://www.sfgate.com/lgbt/article/Pride-Parade-s-evol... -Turner, W. 'Ex-Official Guilty of Manslaughter In Slayings on Coast; 3,000 Protest; Protesters Beat on Doors Ex-Official -Guilty of Manslaughter in Coast Slayings Lifelong San Franciscan' The New York Times (May 22nd 1979)
Film:
-Milk, Dir. Van Sant, G. (2008) DVD, Axon Films, Groundswell Productions, Jinks/Cohen Company. News Talk, Television Interview. Interviewer: Samayoa, J. KBHK-TV, (1978). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVlxq7wqgeU -Times of Harvey Milk. Dir. Epstein R. DVD, Pacific Arts, 1984.
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