Former San Francisco supervisor and political activist Harry Britt died Wednesday at the age of 82.
Britt was a gay man who fought for the LGBTQ community in San Francisco. He was appointed to the Board of Supervisors in 1979 by then-mayor Dianne Feinstein, following the 1978 assassination of Supervisor Harvey Milk and then-mayor George Moscone.
"He stepped into a situation that was very fraught with anger and resentment, as a result of the murders,” Supervisor and state Assemblyman Tom Ammiano said. “He proved himself over and over."
Ammiano added that while it was Milk’s dream to increase LGBTQ representation, Britt fulfilled that vision as the only openly gay elected official in City Hall at the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
"He was very reluctant to carry the baton, so to speak," Ammiano said. "Harry was what I always thought of as an unsung hero."
San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who represents District 8, said Britt used his political position to push equality policies into the national conversation.
It is not possible to adequately express what Harry Britt’s leadership has meant to our city, nor the tremendous impact that he had on the queer community and progressive politics over the last four decades. Though it was Harvey Milk’s dream to increase queer representation 1/4 pic.twitter.com/LYD3nriXv7
— Rafael Mandelman (@RafaelMandelman)
June 24, 2020State Senator Scott Weiner of San Francisco called Britt’s death a tragedy, and expressed gratitude for his contributions to the political sphere and the LGBTQ community.
Harry Britt was a pioneer in the LGBTQ community’s entry into electoral politics. He deeply understood that while our allies are essential, we must have our own seat at the table. Harry helped create space for people like me to serve in elected office. His death is a tragedy.
— Senator Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener)
June 24, 2020KCBS Radio and San Francisco Chronicle Insider Phil Matier remembered Britt late Wednesday with KCBS Radio's Patti Reising and Jeff Bell.
