Harvey Milk, A Messenger of Hope

by Ramón Silvestre

In 2018 the San Francisco Board of Supervisors renamed San Francisco International Airport Terminal 1, which has been undergoing a major expansion and renovation project since 2016, after gay-rights pioneer and former city supervisor Harvey Milk (1930–1978). We’re proud that our hometown airport has the world’s first terminal named after a leader of the LGBTQ community.

As part of this initiative, the SFO Airport Museum Galleries has created a new art installation for the terminal documenting Milk’s life and work. Entitled “ Harvey Milk: Messenger of Hope,” the installation features numerous photographs drawn from the GLBT Historical Society’s archival holdings. The airport has now unveiled an online version, so while we may all be sheltering in place for the foreseeable future, there’s no need to wait for the pandemic to pass to enjoy the exhibition.

As the GLBT Historical Society’s collections and exhibitions registrar, I worked closely with the SFO Airport Museum Galleries’ curators, who made community input a priority. Given the society’s longstanding community-centered approach, I’m especially pleased that our archival images are being displayed with photographs both from other institutions — including the Bancroft Library at the University of California at Berkeley and the James C. Hormel Center at the San Francisco Public Library — as well as examples contributed by members of the public.

Rarely Seen Images

I’m also thrilled by the selection of photographs. Some come from popular collections, including the Crawford Wayne Barton Papers and the Marie Ueda Collection. But the exhibition showcases a number of rarely seen images from less-well known but nevertheless rich collections, including the Efren Convento Ramirez Photographs, a 2010 acquisition. My hope is that viewers will be inspired by these and, once we reopen, will visit the archives to learn more.

The first phase of “Harvey Milk: Messenger of Hope” opened in July 2019 on a temporary 400-foot wall in the post-security area of the terminal that will be in place until 2021. The airport has postponed the opening of the permanent installation, originally scheduled for March 24, but it should open later this year. Since it is situated prior to the security screening area, the permanent installation will be accessible to all, and its placement in the country’s seventh-busiest airport will enable it to be seen by travelers from around the world.

May you draw inspiration and comfort from Milk’s message: Hope is one resource that will see us through this time.

Ramón Silvestre is the GLBT Historical Society’s registrar.