Harvey Milk, born May 22, 1930 in Woodmere, New York, graduated from New York State College for Teachers in Albany, majoring in mathematics. He joined the US Navy as a diving officer during the Korean War. He left the Navy in 1955, accepting an "other than honorable" discharge rather than being court-martialed for being gay.
He moved to the Castro area of San Francisco, where many gay men who had been expelled from the military had congregated.
Amid many scandals and trials, Milk was elected mayor of San Francisco November 8, 1977, winning over 16 other candidates. His swearing-in made national headlines since he was the first non-incumbent openly gay man in the US to win an election for public office.
He sponsored a bill that passed by a vote of 11-1 that banned discrimination based on sexual orientation in public accommodations, housing, and employment. Mayor George Moscone signed it into law.
On November 27, 1978, Milk and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated by Dan White, a disgruntled former city supervisor who cast the only vote against Milk's bill.
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