The Harvey B. Milk Foundation, formed by the late political leader’s nephew, is planning events to mark California’s first official Harvey Milk Day on May 22, Milk’s birthday, according to the Bay Area Reporter:

Working with local event producer Audrey Joseph, the foundation plans to host its inaugural awards show May 21 on the eve of California’s first official Harvey Milk Day, which under state law will annually be declared May 22 on Milk’s birthday. In conjunction with local LGBT leaders, the foundation also has plans to hold a diversity breakfast May 22 and a street festival that afternoon in the Castro modeled after the gayborhood’s annual fall street fair, which Milk helped launch in the 1970s.

“Harvey Milk Day is really exciting. It is the first time a gay individual has been honored with a day named after them anywhere in the world,” said Joseph, who likened the awards event to “mimicking the Kennedy Center Honors,” which are named after another assassinated American politician, President John F. Kennedy.

Stuart Milk added that, “We really do think this could eventually be a weeklong focal event that brings people from around the world to San Francisco to celebrate Harvey Milk week.”

Events honoring Milk are planned throughout the state, from Sacramento to San Diego, where a diversity breakfast in honor of Milk, the first openly gay person elected to office in a major American city, drew 1,200 people last year.

Ceremonies are also being planned in New York City and on Long Island, where Milk grew up. An organization in Tallahassee, Florida contacted Stuart Milk about attending an event there the night of May 22.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) encouraged Americans to be mindful of harsh rhetoric, citing the murder of San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk and mayor George Moscone as an example of how dangerous language can translate to politically-motivated violence.

Pelosi reportedly became choked up and “teary-eyed” during her weekly press conference.  Acknowledging her strong belief in the freedom of speech and expression,  she warned that leaders need to take greater responsibility for their words so as not to “incite” violence.

The Hill reports:

Pelosi, referencing the assassination of gay rights activist and San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk in 1978, said Americans must “curb our enthusiasm” in some political debates.

“I have concerns about some of the language that is being used because I saw this myself in the late ’70s in San Francisco, this kind of rhetoric was very frightening and it created a climate in which violence took place,” Pelosi said.

“And so I wish that we would all, again, curb our enthusiasm in some of the statements that are made, understanding that some of the people — the ears it is falling on are not as balanced as the person making the statement might assume,” the speaker cautioned.

Towleroad reports that Equality California (EQCA) has delivered 40,000 petitions to Governor Schwarzenegger requesting he sign “Harvey Milk Day” into law.  The governor has been noncommittal on whether or not to sign the legislation, asking for input from his constituents.

Last Friday, the New York Times reported that the response had been mostly negative.

EQCA issued this press release on its website:

“Every day we hear from people who have been touched by Harvey Milk’s inspiring message of hope and his story of determination and sacrifice,” said Geoff Kors, Equality California executive director. “A champion for the civil rights of all Californians, Milk’s remarkable legacy is still felt far beyond San Francisco, and this bill is an appropriate way to pay tribute to the invaluable contributions he made to our state and to our nation.”

Out official Mark Leno, author of the bill, and EQCA directors Alice Kessler and Geoff Kors personally delivered the petitions to Schwarzenegger’s office.

While we wait to see if Gov. Schwarzenegger will veto a bill commemmorating Harvey Milk, the gay rights leader has been slated to enter the California Hall of Fame.  Milk is one of thirteen in a rather diverse group of people the state has chosen to honor.

“The California Hall of Fame celebrates our most influential women and men, and honors them for their drive, willingness to take risks, dedication and success in touching the lives of millions of people — not just in this state, but around the world,” Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a press release.

The hall plans a Dec. 1 induction ceremony at The California Museum in Sacramento. It will include the opening of new exhibits that feature mementos loaned by the inductees and their families, including items never exhibited before.

When Gov. Scwharzenegger vetoed a bill to commemmorate Harvey Milk in Calif. schools last year, he did so while arguing that Milk should be honored in San Francisco, where he had the most impact. Milk’s induction into the California Hall of Fame – with the Governor’s blessing – seems to paint a different, more accurate picture of Milk’s influence.

Equality California is asking supporters to contact Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to urge him to sign a bill that would establish Harvey Milk Day.

Schwarzenegger earlier vetoed a similar measure after intense pressure from right-wing activists.  At the time, he said it was more appropriate that Milk was honored in San Francisco alone, where he was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 1977.  Since then, the Oscar-winning “Milk,” a film by Gus Van Sant, and the bestowal of the Presidential Medal of Freedom celebrating Milk’s life and legacy, have renewed international interest in his story.

So what would the bill actually do?  Equality California explains:

SB 572 would require the Governor to proclaim May 22 of each year as Harvey Milk Day. It would also designate Harvey Milk Day as a day of special significance in public schools and educational institutions, and encourage those entities to conduct suitable commemorative exercises.

This bill would put California on record as recognizing the social contributions that Harvey Milk made to our nation as a civil rights leader. It would also allow schools to conduct activities that would foster respect for all, and educate students about an important figure who is often omitted from history lessons.

This legislation would not require that state workers or school employees get the day off from work. Therefore, SB 572 would have no fiscal impact to the state.