Harvey Milk Statue to be Unveiled at SF City Hall

....If you're going to San Francisco

San Francisco City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place San Francisco CA
- enter on Polk Street side
May 22, 2008.
Mayor Gavin Newsom, The Harvey Milk City Hall Memorial Committee, The Bob Ross Foundation, The San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Pride Celebration Committee, and The San Francisco Arts Commission invite you to a reception and an unveiling Ceremony for The Harvey Milk City Hall Memorial Sculpture by The Daub Firmin and Hendrickson Sculpture group on May 22, 2008 in City Hall, which would have been Milk’s 78th Birthday. The reception is a free public event and doors open at 6 PM with the Ceremony beginning at 7PM. It will feature remarks by colleagues of Milk’s, local dignitaries and performances by Connie Champagne and the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus.
Food and beverage will be provided.

Background - In 2001 The Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution calling for the establishment of a sculpture in remembrance of Supervisor Harvey Milk who became a symbol to the world for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender civil rights. Milk was one of the first openly gay elected officials in the Nation. Milk and (pro-gay) Mayor George Moscone were assassinated in their City Hall offices by a homophobic political opponent on November 27, 1978.

In 2003 a campaign began to raise funds for the commission of the sculpture and The Harvey Milk City Hall Memorial Committee was formed as a non-profit organization to foster the project. It took four years to complete the funding and in fall of 2006 the Milk City Hall Memorial Committee, in concert with a large gift from The Bob Ross Foundation and in partnership with The San Francisco Arts Commission, launched a national competition to find an artist.

In January 2007 a panel of community leaders and arts professionals selected three finalists. Maquettes of their designs were displayed for community comment in City Hall and the panel, with overwhelming public support, chose Daub, Firmin, and Hendrickson Sculpture Group as the winning team.

In April of 2008 The San Francisco Arts Commission formally approved the placement of the sculpture in the Ceremonial Rotunda in City Hall where it will be unveiled on May 22, 2008.