Non-Fiction Television; The Times of Harvey Milk; Part 2

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Series
Non-Fiction Television
Episode
The Times of Harvey Milk
Segment
Part 2
Producing Organization
Harvey Milk Film Project
WNET (Television station : New York, N.Y.)
Contributing Organization
The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia (Athens, Georgia)
AAPB ID
cpb-aacip-526-qr4nk37c9b
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Description
Episode Description
"THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK is a film about American values in conflict. Set in San Francisco in the 1970's, it tells of the extraordinary rise to power of Harvey Milk, a long-haired gay camera store owner from the sleepy Castro District who became one of the decade's most prominent leaders of the lesbian and gay rights movement, and of his assassination at the hands of Dan White. "In November 1977, after several unsuccessful attempts for political office, Harvey Milk, 47, was elected to San Francisco's Board of Supervisors, becoming California's first openly gay elected official. Also elected was Dan White who, elected from a blue collar neighborhood, stood for the 'old fashioned values that built this country.' Dan White and Harvey Milk became opposing symbols of the city's new elections. "The tragic drama involving Milk, White, and Mayor George Moscone developed after the defeat of a proposed controversial State bill which pitted San Francisco's gay community and straight conservatives against each other. The proposed 'Briggs Amendment,' initiated by State Senator John Briggs, would have banned gays and gay rights advocates from teaching in California's schools. Milk and White divided sharply on this issue. "Four days after the bill was defeated, Dan White resigned. Five days following his resignation, White announced he had changed his mind. On the day Mayor Moscone was to officially deny White's request for reinstatement, White climbed through a City Hall basement window to avoid metal detectors, went to Moscone's office, and shot the Mayor three times. White then went to Milk's office and shot his colleague eight times. "THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK captures the pain, shock and outrage San Franciscans felt when they learned of the murders. The film presents its narrative through the eyes of witnesses, the news media, and the filmmakers who were there to record these times. By letting its story unfold through varied and sometimes opposing points of view, the film explores the complexity of these historic events. The film placed Harvey Milk within the context in which he lived and so reveals a portrait of the diverse community from which he emerged."--1985 Peabody Awards entry form.
Broadcast Date
1985-11-13
Asset type
Episode
Media type
Moving Image
Duration
00:31:38.644
Credits
Producing Organization: Harvey Milk Film Project
Producing Organization: WNET (Television station : New York, N.Y.)
AAPB Contributor Holdings
The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia
Identifier: cpb-aacip-28e146e1bf3 (Filename)
Format: Grooved analog disc
Generation: Transcription disc
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Citations
Chicago: “Non-Fiction Television; The Times of Harvey Milk; Part 2,” 1985-11-13, The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed April 1, 2026, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-526-qr4nk37c9b.
MLA: “Non-Fiction Television; The Times of Harvey Milk; Part 2.” 1985-11-13. The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. April 1, 2026. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-526-qr4nk37c9b>.
APA: Non-Fiction Television; The Times of Harvey Milk; Part 2. Boston, MA: The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-526-qr4nk37c9b