Harvey Milk inducted into California Hall of Fame

It seems that almost every time I write about Harvey Milk getting an important honor posthumously, I feel like bursting into tears.

I’m not a big crier but there’s something about the man, his story and his life cut short that touches me deeply. And so, it’s with a little bit of a lump in the throat that I post these photos of yesterday’s California Hall of Fame ceremony where Milk was among the 13 Californians inducted.

The inductees, who also included Carol Burnett and Olympian Rafer Johnson, were chosen for being “remarkable individuals who embody the innovative spirit of the Golden State and who have changed the world by pursuing their dreams,” according to the museum.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the inclusion of Milk – a former San Francisco supervisor who was the first openly gay elected official in San Francisco and one of the first in the nation – is especially poignant for many gay rights advocates. Milk and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated in 1978, and Milk was honored earlier this year with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In October, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger also signed a bill – which he had vetoed in previous years – creating Harvey Milk Day on May 22, his birthday.

Stuart Milk, Milk’s nephew who is also gay, accepted his uncle’s award Tuesday. Stuart Milk has become an ambassador of sorts for the late politician, traveling to 19 countries and more than 100 U.S. cities in recent years – and this year going from the White House to California’s Capitol to accept his uncle’s honors.

“Wherever I go – Istanbul, Turkey; Madrid, Spain; Panama City, Panama – Harvey’s story gives people hope. Even though we still have a long way to go in the world and U.S. … he really is a beacon of light for the community,” he said. “And I’m very proud that the governor signed the Harvey Milk holiday bill. I think it will save lives, and it makes this event so much more meaningful.”

Milk’s exhibit features a time capsule created by his lover, Scott Smith, that includes a lock of Milk’s hair, a tape recording of one of his speeches and a rainbow flag. The exhibit also includes the supervisor’s groundbreaking 1978 sexual discrimination ordinance and the Medal of Freedom.