Anne Kronenberg , who was openly lesbian , was Milk 's campaign manager during his San Francisco Board of Supervisors campaign , and later worked as his aide while he held that office . In 1978 , lesbian Sally Miller Gearhart fought alongside Milk to defeat Proposition 6 ( also known as the " Briggs Initiative " because it was sponsored by John Briggs ) , which would have banned gays and lesbians from teaching in public schools in California . Milk was murdered on November 27 , 1978 in the Moscone – Milk assassinations . Riots broke out after the perpetrator , Dan White , received a manslaughter conviction , and was sentenced to seven years in prison
Riots
White Night riots
LGBT culture in San Francisco