Harvey Bernard Milk (May 22, 1930 – November 27, 1978) was an American politician and the first openly gay elected official in California. He was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. On November 27, 1978, Milk and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated by Dan White, a disgruntled fellow city supervisor. White was sentenced to seven years in prison for manslaughter, which was later reduced to five years. Mass uprisings in the gay community, known as the White Night Riots, followed the sentencing. Milk became an icon in San Francisco and in the LGBTQ community and he continues to be honored today.

Harvey Milk’s Recorded Political Will

Harvey Milk knew he was a target of anti-gay violence. He tape-recorded a political will approximately ten days after his election that described what would occur in that event.

Click the audio player below to listen to an excerpt from one of the three recordings.

 Transcript:

This is Harvey Milk speaking from the camera store on the evening of Friday, November 18th, [1977]. This is to be played only in the event of my death by assassination. I fully realize that a person who stands for what I stand for — an activist, gay activist — becomes the target or the potential target for somebody who is insecure, terrified, afraid, or very disturbed themselves. Knowing that I could be assassinated at any moment or any time, I feel it’s important that some people know my thoughts. I’d love to see every gay doctor come out. I’d love to see every gay lawyer, every gay judge, every gay bureaucrat, every gay architect come out. Stand up. Let the world know. That would do more to end prejudice overnight than anybody could ever imagine. I urge them to do that. Urge them. Come out. It’s only that way will we start to achieve our rights. I ask for a movement to continue, for a movement to grow, because last week I got that phone call from Altoona, Pennsylvania and my election gave somebody else — one more person — hope. And after all, that’s what it’s about. It’s not about personal gain, not about ego, not about power. It’s about giving those young people out there hope. You gotta give ‘em hope.