1. THE MAYOR OF CASTRO STREET
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF HARVEY MILK
Sam Brothers
2. Randy Shilts QuickTimeª and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Grew up in Aurora, IL, with five brothers in a
politically conservative, working-class family
Majored in journalism at the University of
Oregon and came out in college at the age of 20.
A pioneering gay American journalist and author. He worked
as a freelance reporter for both The Advocate and the San
Francisco Chronicle. When hired by the latter, he became the
first openly gay reporter with a gay ‘beat’ in the American
mainstreem press.
In addition to his extensive journalism, Shilts wrote three
best-selling, widely acclaimed books.
Shilts devoted himself to covering the oppression and truth
behind homosexual lifestyles and the the story AIDS and its
medical, social, and political ramifications.
3. Praise
Applauded for bringing public attention to gay civil-
rights issues and the AIDS crisis.
Shilts was honored with the
1988 Outstanding Author award from the American
Society of Journalists and Authors
1990 Mather Lectureship at Harvard University
1993 Lifetime Achievement Award from the National
Lesbian and Gay Journalists' Association
Specifically for The Mayor of Castro Street
The book broke new ground for the topic and
structure.
4. Author’s Note
“I have relied on the usual technique of using on-the-
record interviews or, when that was not possible,
corroborating possible points of contention with at least
three unnamed sources. That’s a standard rule of
reporting and the basic discipline of the book.”
“I can only answer that I tried to tell the truth and, if not
be objective, at least be fair…there is a journalistic duty
to tell the whole story.”
“It’s all so strange. Nothing needs to be fictionalized. If
somebody tried to write it as fiction, no one would
believe it.” -Scott Smith
5. Synopsis
The Mayor of Castro Street the story of
Harvey Milk, the man whose personal life,
public career, and tragic assassination
mirrored the dramatic and unprecedented
emergence of the gay community in
America during the 1970s.
Starts from Milk’s early childhood up
until the final moments of his life
6. Part 1: The Years without Hope
Milk was grew up on Long Island. He played football in school, and
developed a passion for opera; in his teens, he acknowledged his
homosexuality, but kept it a closely guarded secret. Attended New
York State College for Teachers in Albany.
Joined the US Navy during the Korean War. Milk abruptly became
a researcher at a Wall Street firm. Milk became involved with
O'Horgan's theater company. The time he had spent with the cast
of hippies wore away much of Milk's conservatism.
Milk met Scott Smith, 18 years his junior, and began another
relationship. Milk and Smith traveled around California living off
unemployment checks and later returned to San Francisco, where
they opened camera store on Castro Street in 1973, after a roll of
film Milk left at a local shop was ruined.
7. Main Characters
Joe Campbell- Milk met his first love, Joe Campbell, in 1956 at the Jacob
Riis Park. Even after they moved in together, Milk wrote Campbell
romantic notes and poems.
Craig Rodwell- In 1962 Milk became involved with Rodwell, who was ten
years younger. The relationship soon ended as Milk became alarmed at
Rodwell's tendency to agitate the police.
Jack McKinley- Milk recruited McKinley to work on conservative
Republican 1964 presidential campaign. McKinley, 17 years younger than
Milk, was prone to depression and frequently threatened to commit suicide
if Milk did not show him enough attention.
Scott Smith: Smith was widely considered the muscle behind many of
Milk's endeavors. He organized, created, managed and helped campaign for
Milk's election to public office from 1974 to 1977 and openly supported and
helped after Milk was elected
8. Part II: The Mayor of Castro Street
Upon establishing a home and buisiness on Castro Street, Milk
became more interested in political and civic matters when he was
faced with civic problems and policies he disliked.
Milk displayed an affinity for building coalitions from early in his
political career. Milk found a strong political ally in organized
labor, and it was around this time that he began to style himself
"The Mayor of Castro Street".
Milk created a safe-haven for the minorities on Castro Street,
transforming the neighborhood and so the entire city of San
Francisco.
He took advantage of the growing political and economic power of
the neighborhood to promote his interests, and ran unsuccessfully
for political office three times.
His theatrical campaigns earned him increasing popularity, and
Milk won a seat as a city supervisor in 1977, part of the broader
social changes the city was experiencing.
9. Main Characters
Charles Gains- Immediately criticized the police in the press for racial
insensitivity and alcohol abuse on the job, instead of working within the
command structure to change attitudes.By request of the mayor, Gain made
it clear that gay police officers would be welcomed in the department.
Reverend Jim Jones- the founder and leader of the Peoples Temple, which
was incredibly powerful. Milk consistently told his volunteers, “They're
weird and they're dangerous, and you never want to be on their bad side.”
Michael Wong- political activist of the time, kept a diary of every
conversation he ever had with Milk. He was one of Milk’s only straight
friends, and one of his very best friends and supporters.
Medora Payne- 11 student who “just loves Harvey. She’s been wanting to
get involved in his campaigns for so long, we couldn’t keep her away if we
wanted to.”- Mrs. Payne
10. Part III: Supervisor Harvey Milk
Milk's swearing-in made national headlines, as he became
the first non-incumbent openly gay man in the United
States to win an election for public office.
Milk served almost 11 months in office as a city supervisor
in 1977 and was responsible for passing a stringent gay
rights ordinance for the city.
“You get the first bullet the minute you stand at the
microphone.”
On November 27, 1978, Milk and Mayor George Moscone
were assassinated by Dan White, another city supervisor
who had recently resigned but wanted his job back.
11. Main Characters
John Briggs- Brigss announced Proposition 6, The Briggs Initiative. The
law proposed the firing of gay teachers and public school employees who
supported gay rights because homosexual teachers were after children.
Dianne Feinstein- She served as the board's first female president in 1978,
during which time the assassinations. Feinstein, who was the first to
discover the shootings and announced their assasination to the public.
Mayor Geoge Moscone- 37th mayor of San Franciscom, initially was caught
up in the “Machine Politics” but remained a liberal, gay-rights activist and
Milk supporter. One of his first acts as mayor was appointing Charles Gains
as police chief.
Anne Kronenberg- campaign manager during campaign in 1977 and his
aide as he held that office until the assassination. Kronenberg was one of
Milk’s few lesbian friends and one of his most trusted supporters.
12. Part IV: The Legend Begins
Though he was the only supervisor to vote against Milk's gay
rights ordinance earlier that year, he had been quoted as
saying, "I respect the rights of all people, including gays".
Milk and White at first got along well. Then Milk voted
against a proposal that had been part of White’s campaign
platform and White never forgave him for it.
White’s arrest and trial caused a sensation, and illustrated
severe tensions between the liberal population and the city
police.
"Good people, fine people, with fine backgrounds, simply
don't kill people in cold blood.”
White Night Riots
Dan White served a little more than five years for the double
murder of Moscone and Milk.
