Tickle Your Brain

Harvey Milk was born in Woodmere, New York on May 22, 1930. Growing up he dreamed that he and his friends would be treated like everyone else and one day people would be able to love as they pleased. In college Harvey studied math and history in order to become a teacher. After graduating he taught in public schools, served in the navy and worked on Broadway. In 1972 Harvey moved to San Francisco to open a camera shop. In 1977 Harvey Milk became the first openly gay person to be elected to public office. He ran for office because of the dream he had that all people would have equality, including gay people. Harvey worked for his dream by rallying and spreading his message. At the time many people listened to his dream but very few agreed.

As part of his work he planned marches to protest unfair laws and the unfair treatment of homosexuals. While planning these marches Harvey decided that they needed a symbol to gather around. A symbol to show that love is love and everyone should be proud of their love. Harvey asked his friend Gilbert Baker to make a flag. Gilbert jumped at the chance and designed the first Pride Flag. This rainbow flag was flown for the first time on June 25th 1978 during the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade. The original flag flown that day had eight colors, today’s pride flag has six colors.

Harvey Milk did not get to see the positive effect his marches and rallies had on the world because on November 27, 1978 Harvey Milk and the mayor of San Francisco, George Moscone were assassinated. The man who carried out the assassinations was Dan White a former San Francisco supervisor that had worked with Milk and Moscone. Mr. White disagreed with much of what mayor Moscone and Harvey Milk were doing for the city of San Francisco.

_{These articles are written by library staff using library resources such as books, eBooks, and databases. Information can vary from book to book and database to database. Tickle Your Brain is meant to be a jumping off point for starting conversations about new topics of learning. It is not to be used as an authoritative resource.}