Give ‘Em Hell, Harry!
The Man Who Kept Harvey Milk’s Dream Alive
A new Queer Serial
sister series
Harry Britt on Harvey Milk's "human billboard" line. Photo by Daniel Nicoletta.
Why stop at Stonewall? After 3 fabulous seasons of LGBTQ+ history, now listen to the podcast’s follow-up: a collaboration between Queer Serial producer & host Devlyn Camp, and historian Will Roscoe. She's a sort-of sequel, a spin-off — a sister series!
In 1978, the LGBTQ community was shocked and grieving. Harvey Milk had given us hope. Then he was murdered by a former cop named Dan White. On his audio will, Milk recommended a list of possible successors, including a relatively unknown volunteer in his campaign, Harry Britt.
Over three months in 2009, Roscoe recorded interviews with Harvey Milk’s successor, Supervisor Harry Britt, who turned Harvey Milk’s politics into reality. Will and Harry experienced Harvey’s assassination. They were in the candlelight march that night. And they were at City Hall when angry queers rioted, burning 14 cop cars.
Harry Britt refused to apologize.
In a new series, we’ll tell you Milk’s story, and pick up where the movie left off. You’ll hear the story of a shy minister was chosen by Milk to fill his shoes in the event of assassination—and how he kept the movement going forward.
Listen at queerserial.com/harrybritt
episodes
Preview the new
sister series
🎧
Episode 1
“The Most Screwed Up
Person in the World”
Episode 2
“This Crazy Jewish Guy with the Ponytail”
Episode 3
“White Night”
🔥
Episode 4
“The Number One Queen”
Episode 5
“Epicenter”
Episode 6
“Off to the Races”
Episode 7
“Strength, Power, Beauty”
free bonus episodeS
Jane Fonda, Tom Hayden, & Harry Britt
Speak at Harvey Milk's 50th Birthday Dinner, 1980
Remember when Jane Fonda went viral in 2020 for a decades-old clip of her advocating for gay rights? Here’s the speech she gave later that night at the Harvey Milk Gay Democratic Club’s Milk birthday dinner on May 21, 1980. I believe the clip on YouTube is mislabeled as 1979, because her speech that night very specifically references the interaction with the reporter—but please correct me if I’m wrong!
This clip from “The Gay Life” hosted by Randy Alfred is courtesy our FABULOUS SPONSOR: THE GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN SAN FRANCISCO 💖 It features the voices of Randy Alfred, Supervisor Harry Britt, Jane Fonda, Tom Hayden, and Bill Kraus.
Happy 92nd birthday, Harvey! ✨
Original release date: May 22, 2022
“Harvey Milk's Political Will”
Hear the tape in which Harvey Milk appoints Harry Britt as his successor.
“This is Harvey Milk speaking from my camera store on the evening of Friday, November 18th. This is Tape #2…This is to be played only in the event of my death by assassination.”
This audio is provided courtesy of Daniel Nicoletta, a fabulous photographer who worked on Harvey’s campaigns and took some of the most well known photos of Harvey and Harry. You can read Dan’s history of the tapes and the transcript in a lovely new book here.
Infamous Crimes: White Night Riot Interviews
Producer Devlyn Camp talks to rioters who attended the legendary May 21, 1979
uprising following the verdict in the Dan White trial.
Listen only on Patreon or Apple Podcasts.
Listen to the
preview here!
Sister Series Host
Will Roscoe
Professional Rioter
Jerry the Faerie
Anarchist
Joey Cain
Artist down the street
Rumi Missabu
Sister Mary Media
Cass Brayton
Forgotten Fairy Tales: Will Roscoe Interviews
Sister series host Will Roscoe interviews friends
and co-workers of Supervisor Harry Britt.
Listen only on Patreon.
Gwenn Craig:
Tom Ammiano:
Sharon Johnson:
Randy Alfred:
David Weissman:
Tim Wolfred:
Special thanks to the Hong-Murray Family Trust for their generous support of this project, in honor of the legacy of Stephen O. Murray.
Special thanks to the following
“No Apologies” & “Give ‘em Hell” donors on Indiegogo:
Timothy Dupps
Rafael Mandelman
Donald Hoffman
Tim Wolfred
Pat Gourley
Sharon Johnson
Sam Tepperman-Gelfant
P. Goldblum
Gerry Filby
Liz Ryan Murray
David Weissman
Tab Buckner
Daniel Nicoletta
Michael Epstein
Edward Wright
Angelica Jongco
Toby Johnson
Sparkle Jim Cartwright ✨
Duc Luu
David Bloxsom
Jason McKillican
Paul Di Ciccio
Eric Cervini
“Harry was progressive before the word became vogue. He was a powerful advocate for the gay community who never took no for an answer.”
—Sen. Dianne Feinstein
Listen to excerpts and learn more about Harry Britt on Will Roscoe’s website here, & sign up for periodic updates here!
Send inquiries to Devlyn here or Will here.
Donate to the production here.
Harry Britt and Will Roscoe, October 7, 2010.
“We needed to be a minority that you fear.”
Harry Britt