http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8x63q17 No online items Harvey Milk Archives--Scott Smith Collection, 1930-1995GLC 35 Finding aid prepared by Tim Wilson James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center, San Francisco Public Library 100 Larkin Street San Francisco, CA, 94102 (415) 557-4400 [email protected] 2003 Harvey Milk Archives--Scott Smith GLC 35 1 Collection, 1930-1995GLC 35 Title: Harvey Milk Archives--Scott Smith Collection, Date (inclusive): 1930-1995 Date (bulk): 1973-1985 Collection Identifier: GLC 35 Creator: Milk, Harvey Physical Description: 28 cubic feet Contributing Institution: James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center, San Francisco Public Library 100 Larkin Street San Francisco, CA, 94102 (415) 557-4400 [email protected] Abstract: Harvey Milk was the first gay man elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Scott Smith was his partner and friend. The collection documents the personal and political life of Harvey Milk, and the personal life of Scott Smith. Milk's political papers include issue files from the Board of Supervisors, as well as speeches and campaign literature. The photographs document Milk's and Smith's activities in the gay community. Physical Location: The collection is stored onsite. Language of Materials: Collection materials are in English. Access The collection is available for use during San Francisco History Center hours, with photographs available during Photo Desk hours. Publication Rights All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the City Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the copyright holder. Preferred Citation [Identification of item], Harvey Milk Archives--Scott Smith Collection (GLC 35), LGBTQIA Center, San Francisco Public Library. Provenance The Harvey Milk Archives—Scott Smith Collection was donated to The San Francisco Public Library by Elva Smith in 1996. In February 2020, the folder "Harvey Milk Service Record [United States Navy]" was added (Box 2, Folder 59). It contains records released under the Freedom of Information Act by Navy Personnel Command. These records include enlistment documents, orders, reports, and documents related to Milk's "other than honorable" discharge from the United States Navy in 1955. Related materials Researchers are encouraged to see also: Harvey Milk-Susan Davis Alch Correspondence (GLC 19); Harvey Milk-Joseph Campbell Correspondence (GLC 20); Randy Shilts Papers (GLC 43)--Mayor of Castro Street series; Mike Weiss Double Play Collection (SFH 34); and, Daniel Nicoletta Photographs Collection (GLC 36). The San Francisco History Center's Biography Ephemera files contain folders on Harvey Milk, George Moscone, and Dan White. Biographical note Harvey Bernard Milk was born on May 22,1930, in Woodmere, New York. His parents were Minerva Karns and William Milk. His older brother was Robert Milk. Harvey graduated from the New York State Teachers College at Albany in 1951. He was in the U.S. Navy until 1955. He then worked briefly in New York on Wall Street and eventually became involved with the Tom O'Horgan shows Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar. He moved out to San Francisco in the early 1970s. Harvey's political aspirations began with his unsuccessful campaigns for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1973 and 1975. Mayor George Moscone appointed Milk to the city's Board of Permit Appeals in 1976 though he had to resign from that position in the same year when he announced his candidacy for the California State Assembly. He lost the Assembly race as well. He was elected to the Board of Supervisors in November 1977. On January 9, 1978, Milk was sworn into office. While in office, he cosponsored a gay rights ordinance, and was interested in the creation of a gay community center. His Supervisor issue files cover a wide variety of topics from the Briggs Initiative (Proposition 6) and divestment from South Africa to San Francisco parking facilities and the much-publicized Dog Litter law. Milk's life was cut short when Dan White assassinated him on November 27, 1978. Harvey Milk Archives--Scott Smith GLC 35 2 Collection, 1930-1995GLC 35 There are several biographical works about Milk. Most notable is The Mayor of Castro Street by Randy Shilts. The documentary The Times of Harvey Milk by Robert Epstein and Richard Schmeichen is also an excellent resource. Double Play by Mike Weiss recounts the killings of Milk and Moscone and includes transcripts of police documents. All of these books and videotapes are available in the San Francisco Public Library. The archival research for Double Play is also available at the San Francisco History Center of the San Francisco Public Library. Scope and Contents The collection is a mixture of the personal papers of Harvey Milk and Scott Smith, the political papers of Harvey Milk, and the collection of the Harvey Milk Archives and Harvey Milk Estate. As Smith was the head of the Milk Archives and also Milk's executor, the latter materials have been organized into one series. The political papers and photographs series are the best documented portions of the collection. The political papers include drafts of speeches and writings, as well as the flyers and other ephemera which a campaign produces. There is unfortunately not much on Milk's early life though there are a few documents on his mother. With the exception of the photographs, the bulk of the collection documents Milk's life on the West Coast. Arrangement The collection is arranged into six series: Series 1. Harvey Milk's personal papers; Series 2. Harvey Milk's political papers; Series 3. Scott Smith's personal papers; Series 4. Materials relating to the Harvey Milk Archives and his estate; Series 5. Photographic materials; and Series 6. Clippings and ephemera. Most series are arranged alphabetically by folder title, and materials are filed chronologically within each folder; the photographic series is organized by slide program when possible, and by folder title in all other cases. Subjects and Indexing Terms Milk, Harvey--Archives. Smith, Scott (Joseph Scott)--Archives. Gay liberation movement--California--San Francisco. Gay politicians--California--San Francisco. Gays--Political activity--California--San Francisco. Nineteen seventies. Politicians--California--San Francisco. San Francisco (Calif.)--Politics and government--20th century Speeches, addresses, etc., American. Series 1 Harvey Milk Personal Papers, 1930-1979 (bulk 1970-1978) Physical Description: 2.0 cubic feet Scope and Contents This series contains correspondence, financial information, subject files, legal documents, and ephemera on various aspects of Milk's personal life. Milk's personal correspondence includes letters to Scott Smith, and a copy of the thank you letter from President Gerald Ford to Oliver (Bill) Sipple. There is also a sampling of financial information on Castro Camera. Condolence letters to Milk after his lover Jack Lira's suicide, and to the Milk family and friends after Milk's assassination appear in this series. Of particular note are the files on Coors, the Castro Village Association, the Eureka Valley Promotion Association, and the musical Inner City. There are photocopies of several documents such as Milk's birth certificate, his honorable naval discharge (believed to be falsified) and his mother's military discharge. There is also a folder "Harvey Milk Service Record" which contains records released under the Freedom of Information Act by Navy Personnel Command. These records include enlistment documents, orders, reports, and documents related to Milk's "other than honorable" discharge from the United States Navy in 1955. Arrangement Arranged alphabetically by folder title. Box 1, Folder 1 Address Book (contains birthdates), [197-?] Box 1, Folder 2 BAGL (Bay Area Gay Liberation), 1976 Harvey Milk Archives--Scott Smith GLC 35 3 Collection, 1930-1995GLC 35 Series 1Harvey Milk Personal Papers, 1930-1979 (bulk 1970-1978) Box 1, Folder 3 Barbagelata, John. "An Attitude Toward Gay People: Quotes from John Barbagelata," 1975 Butler, Katie ( Bay Guardian) Box 1, Folder 4 Briarpatch, 1975, undated Box 1, Folder 5 Business cards (from others), undated Box 1, Folder 6 Cafe La Mama, E.T.C. (Tom O'Horgan productions), 1965 Box 1, Folder 7 California Committee for Equal Rights, 1975 Copeland, Larry Box 1, Folder 8 Cartoons, undated Box 1, Folder 9 Castro Camera. Business cards and calendars, 1979, undated Box 1, Folder 10 Castro Camera. Danny [Nicoletta] hours and expenditures, undated Castro Camera. Finances, 1975-1977 Box 1, Folder 11 Advertising costs, 1976 Box 1, Folder 12 Ledger "The Studio," January-February 1975 Box 1, Folder 13 Ledger income and expenses, January-December 1975 Box 1, Folder 14 ILFORD, 1976-1977 Box 1, Folder 15 P.S.I. (Photo Sales International), 1975-1977 Box 1, Folder 16 UNIPHOT Inc., 1975-1976 Box 1, Folder 17 Castro Village Association, 1975-1976 Box 1, Folder 18 Citizens for Representative Government, 1973-1974 Box 1, Folder 19 Committee of 100 in Support of the San Francisco County Jails, 1973-1975 General note Includes: "Seven Charges Against the 1973 San Francisco Grand Jury" regarding the San Bruno County Jail. Box 1, Folder 20 Community Guild, 1974, undated Condolences regarding Jack Lira's suicide, 1978 Box 1, Folder 21 Phone call log and arrangements, 1978 Box 1, A-P, 1978 Folders 22-35 Box 1, Folder 36 Peoples Temple (Jonestown, Guyana), 1978 Box 2, Folders 1-5 R-Z, 1978 Box 2, Folder 6 Condolence notes to Milk family from school children, 1978 All Hallows Academy Anza School Box 2, Condolences regarding Harvey Milk's death, 1978 Folders 7-11 Box 2, Folder 12 Coors, 1974-1977 Correspondence, 1972-1976 Box 2, Folder 13 Leasure, Jim, 1978, undated Box 2, Folder 14 McKinley, J. Galen, 1976 Box 2, Folder 15 Merriam, Eve, and Leonard C. Lewin. Includes At Home script, February 5, 1973 Box 2, Folder 16 Moscone, George R.