Harvey Milk Day
{{short description|Annual gay rights holiday}}
{{Infobox holiday
|holiday_name = Harvey Milk Day
|type = Municipal
|longtype =
|image = Harvey Milk Day logo.png
|caption = Harvey Milk Day logo
|imagesize = 150px
|official_name =
|nickname =
|observedby = West Hollywood, California ; Signal Hill, California ; California, United States; Wilton Manors, Florida
|begins =
|ends =
|duration =
|frequency = Annual
|scheduling = Same Day Each Year
|date = May 22
|mdy = Yes
|date2007 =
|celebrations =
|observances =
|relatedto = Harvey Milk and Harvey Milk Foundation
}}
Harvey Milk Day is organized by the Harvey Milk Foundation and celebrated each year on May 22 in memory of Harvey Milk, a gay rights activist who was assassinated in 1978. Milk was a prominent gay activist during the 20th century. He ran for office three times before becoming the first openly gay person elected to California public office, where he served as a city supervisor.{{Cite web|url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/hfcwd/milk_harvey_day/0|title=Milk (Harvey) Day {{!}} Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations of the World Dictionary - Credo Reference|website=search.credoreference.com|language=en|access-date=2018-01-15}} Harvey Milk Day came about as a day to remember and teach about Milk's life and his work to stop discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community.Milk (Harvey) day. (2015). In H. Henderson (Ed.), Holidays, festivals & celebrations of the world dictionary: detailing more than 3,300 observances from all 50 states and more than 100 nations (5th ed.). Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics, Inc. Retrieved from http://cordproxy.mnpals.net/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/hfcwd/milk_harvey_day/0?institutionId=4015
California Day of Special Significance
In California, Harvey Milk Day is recognized by the state's government as a day of special significance for public schools.{{cite web |url=http://www.commondreams.org/news2008/0805-05.htm |title=Equality California: Legislature Approves Harvey Milk Day |publisher=Commondreams.org |date=2008-08-05 |access-date=2013-12-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109234453/http://www.commondreams.org/news2008/0805-05.htm |archive-date=2015-01-09 |url-status=dead }}[https://litigation-essentials.lexisnexis.com/webcd/app?action=DocumentDisplay&crawlid=1&doctype=cite&docid=41+McGeorge+L.+Rev.+558&srctype=smi&srcid=3B15&key=f57f18895b6d603a3c542e6094d594ca Kristin Weigle, Harvey Milk Day: Chapter 626 Gives a Controversial Figure's Birthday Special Significance for California Public Schools], 41 McGeorge Law Review 558 (2010) The day was established by the California legislature and signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2009. Having vetoed the legislation in 2008, Gov. Schwarzenegger was persuaded to reverse his position after a series of petitions led by gay rights activist Daren I. Ball,{{cite news|last=Thompson|first=Don|title=Schwarzenegger creates day honoring Harvey Milk|agency=Associated Press|date=October 12, 2009}} President Barack Obama's decision to award Milk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the release of the award-winning feature film Milk retracing Milk's life.{{cite news|title=Arnold Schwarzenegger signs law establishing Harvey Milk Day: California governor's move honours Harvey Milk, gay politician shot dead in 1978|last=Tran |first=Mark |date=October 13, 2009 |publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/oct/13/schwarzenneger-law-harvey-milk-day|access-date=2010-11-06}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8303917.stm |title=Gay Rights Activist Milk Honoured|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|location=United Kingdom|date= October 12, 2009}}{{Cite web|url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/hfcwd/milk_harvey_day/0|title=Milk (Harvey) Day {{!}} Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations of the World Dictionary - Credo Reference|website=search.credoreference.com|language=en|access-date=2018-01-15}}
=Legislative history=
See also
{{Portal|San Francisco Bay Area|LGBTQ|Biography}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.milkfoundation.org Harvey Milk Foundation]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110830015227/http://www.harveymilkday.co/ Official Harvey Milk Day Website]
{{Harvey Milk}}
{{LGBT in California}}
{{U.S. Holidays}}
Category:Public holidays in the United States
Category:LGBTQ events in California
Category:LGBTQ law in the United States
Category:2009 in LGBTQ history
Category:2008 in LGBTQ history
Category:LGBTQ politics in the United States
Category:State holidays in the United States
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