Harry Britt
Encyclopedia
Harry Britt is a political activist and former Supervisor for San Francisco, California
. Britt was involved during the late 1960s in the civil rights movement when he was a Methodist minister in Chicago. He was first appointed to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
in January 1979 by Mayor Dianne Feinstein
, succeeding Harvey Milk
who was assassinated
in City Hall along with Mayor George Moscone
by former Supervisor Dan White
.
Britt was elected to the Board of Supervisors in November of the following years: 1979, 1980, 1984, and 1988. Britt served as President of the Board of Supervisors from 1989-90.
Britt introduced domestic partner legislation in 1982 which was passed by the Board of Supervisors, but vetoed by Mayor Feinstein. In 1989, under Britt's leadership, the board passed domestic partner legislation, which was signed by Mayor Art Agnos. However, voters repealed the domestic partnership law by initiative
; a modified version was reinstated by another voter initiative, 1990's Proposition K, also written by Britt.
Britt chose not to run for reelection in 1992.
Britt ran unsuccessfully for the 5th Congressional District of California
in 1987, narrowly losing to Nancy Pelosi
in a special election to fill the seat left when Sala Burton
died, with 36 percent of the vote to his 32 percent.
He also was unsuccessful in his race against Mark Leno
for the California Assembly in 2002.
Britt directed the Weekend BA Degree Completion Program at New College of California
, which closed in January 2008 due to financial problems.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. Britt was involved during the late 1960s in the civil rights movement when he was a Methodist minister in Chicago. He was first appointed to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
San Francisco Board of Supervisors
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is the legislative body within the government of the City and County of San Francisco, California, United States.-Government and politics:...
in January 1979 by Mayor Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein is the senior U.S. Senator from California. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served in the Senate since 1992. She also served as 38th Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988....
, succeeding Harvey Milk
Harvey Milk
Harvey Bernard Milk 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...
who was assassinated
Moscone-Milk assassinations
The Moscone–Milk assassinations were the killings of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk, who were shot and killed in San Francisco City Hall by former Supervisor Dan White on November 27, 1978...
in City Hall along with Mayor George Moscone
George Moscone
George Richard Moscone was an American attorney and Democratic politician. He was the 37th mayor of San Francisco, California, US from January 1976 until his assassination in November 1978. Moscone served in the California State Senate from 1967 until becoming Mayor. In the Senate, he served as...
by former Supervisor Dan White
Dan White
Daniel James "Dan" White was a San Francisco supervisor who assassinated San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, on Monday, November 27, 1978, at City Hall...
.
Britt was elected to the Board of Supervisors in November of the following years: 1979, 1980, 1984, and 1988. Britt served as President of the Board of Supervisors from 1989-90.
Britt introduced domestic partner legislation in 1982 which was passed by the Board of Supervisors, but vetoed by Mayor Feinstein. In 1989, under Britt's leadership, the board passed domestic partner legislation, which was signed by Mayor Art Agnos. However, voters repealed the domestic partnership law by initiative
Initiative
In political science, an initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote...
; a modified version was reinstated by another voter initiative, 1990's Proposition K, also written by Britt.
Britt chose not to run for reelection in 1992.
Britt ran unsuccessfully for the 5th Congressional District of California
California's 5th congressional district
California's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. It currently covers the city of Sacramento, the state capital, its suburbs and the surrounding area....
in 1987, narrowly losing to Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
in a special election to fill the seat left when Sala Burton
Sala Burton
Sala Burton was a United States Representative from California. She was born Sala Galante in Białystok, Poland. She attended public schools in San Francisco and University of San Francisco. She was the associate director of the California Public Affairs Institute from 1948 to 1950...
died, with 36 percent of the vote to his 32 percent.
He also was unsuccessful in his race against Mark Leno
Mark Leno
Mark Leno is an American politician, representing California's 3rd Senate district, which includes parts of San Francisco and Sonoma County, as well as the entirety of Marin County. He was elected in 2008 and is the first openly gay man to serve in the Senate...
for the California Assembly in 2002.
Britt directed the Weekend BA Degree Completion Program at New College of California
New College of California
New College of California was founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1971 by former Gonzaga University President, Father John Leary. After 37 years, it ceased operations in early 2008....
, which closed in January 2008 due to financial problems.