Harvey Bernard Milk ( May 22 , 1930 -- November 27 , 1978 ) was an American politician and a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors . He was the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California . Harvey Bernard Milk ( May 22 , 1930 â `` November 27 , 1978 ) was an American politician who became the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California , when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors .