White House to dedicate Harvey Milk stamp

Jewish politician was the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in the US

By JTA 17 May 2014, 2:54 pm 5

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The Harvey Milk commemorative Stamp, to be issued May 22, 2014 (Photo credit: JTA)

WASHINGTON — The White House will dedicate a Harvey Milk stamp on its first day of issue.

The “forever” stamp — valid for first class postage even in the event of price hikes — will be issued May 22, the White House said Thursday in a statement.

It features a photo of Milk, a Jew and member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, taken in 1977, the year he made history when he became the first openly gay elected official from a major city in the United States.

“Milk’s achievements gave hope and confidence to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community in the United States and elsewhere at a time when the community was encountering widespread hostility and discrimination,” the US postal service said in a statement.

In November of 1978, Milk and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone were shot and killed by a former colleague of Milk’s on the board of supervisors.