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Milk was a gay rights activist and one of the first openly gay officials in the United States. Born in Woodmere, New York on May 22, 1930, he worked as a public-school teacher on Long Island and a production associate for Broadway musicals. Soon after moving to California, he quickly became a community leader and a political spokesperson advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ folks in San Francisco. In 1977, after two previous attempts, Harvey Milk won a seat on the San Francisco City-County Board. Unfortunately, a year after, he was assassinated inside the City Hall. Today, Milk is celebrated not only for being a pioneer in the LGBTQ rights movement, but for his vision of equality and freedom for all. In 2009, President Barack Obama posthumously awarded Milk the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Learn more here.