Harvey Milk was born on May 22, 1930 at Woodmere Hospital in Long Island, New York. His official name, derived from his Lithuanian ancestry, was Glimpy Milch (Epstein). By the age of fourteen he was cruising in Central Park, and at seventeen he was arrested for indecent exposure “he was shirtless, which in 1947 was indecent” (Andryszweski 26). He was issued a warning and let go. Three months after graduating from New York State College for Teachers in 1951 where …showed first 75 words of 2068 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2068 total…will your grand-children.” (Shilts 355) Harvey Milk lent the power of his voice not only to the voiceless invisible minority, but to all minorities, whose voices are often lost in the winds of conformity that sweep the American cultural landscape. Milk often said that all he ever sought was to open up the lines of communication that involves all of us. Tragically, his assassin's bullet not only silenced his voice, but his populist vision as well.