Harry Britt | |
|---|---|
 Britt in 1985 | |
| President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors | |
| In office 1989–1990 | |
| Preceded by | Nancy G. Walker |
| Succeeded by | Doris M. Ward |
| Member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors | |
| In office January 1979 – January 1993 | |
| Preceded by | Harvey Milk |
| Succeeded by | Sue Bierman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1938-06-08)June 8, 1938 Port Arthur, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | June 24, 2020(2020-06-24) (aged 82) San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Other political affiliations | Democratic Socialists of America |
| Alma mater | |
Harry Britt (June 8, 1938 – June 24, 2020) was an American politician and gay rights activist. Born in Texas, he worked as a Methodist pastor in Chicago as a young man and later moved to San Francisco. There, he worked withHarvey Milk until Milk'sassassination in 1978. He was appointed to Milk's former seat on theSan Francisco Board of Supervisors, where he remained until 1993, and served as the board's president from 1989 to 1990. Britt was aDemocrat and member of theDemocratic Socialists of America. He ran for theUnited States House of Representatives in1987 and for theCalifornia State Assembly in 2002, but was unsuccessful both times.
Britt was a native ofPort Arthur, Texas, and was educated atDuke University,Southern Methodist University, and theUniversity of Chicago.[1] He began his career as a Methodist minister in Chicago, and was married to a woman; though they had divorced by 1968, Britt said that he still did not realize that he was gay at the time.[1] He first became involved in politics in Chicago, during thecivil rights movement.[2] By the mid-1970s, he had moved to San Francisco and began working withHarvey Milk.[1]
Britt was first appointed to theSan Francisco Board of Supervisors in January 1979 by MayorDianne Feinstein, succeeding Milk, who wasassassinated in City Hall along with MayorGeorge Moscone by former SupervisorDan White.[3] He also served as President of the San Francisco Gay Democratic Club.[4] Britt was elected and re-elected to the board in 1979, 1980, 1984, and 1988.[5] and served as President of the Board of Supervisors from 1989 to 1990.[6] Britt was one of a few members of theDemocratic Socialists of America to be elected to public office.[7]
Britt, who was openly gay, introduceddomestic partner legislation in 1982, which was passed by the Board of Supervisors but vetoed by Mayor Feinstein.[8] In 1989, under Britt's leadership, the board again passed domestic partner legislation, which was this time signed by MayorArt Agnos.[9] However, voters repealed the domestic partnership law byinitiative.[10][11] A modified version was reinstated by another voter initiative, 1990's Proposition K, also written by Britt.[12][13]
Britt chose not to run for reelection in 1992.[14] He ran unsuccessfully forCalifornia's 5th congressional district in1987, narrowly losing toNancy Pelosi in a special election to fill the seat left vacant after the death ofSala Burton, winning 32 percent of the vote to Pelosi's 36 percent.[15][16] He ran his campaign to Pelosi's left, expressing skepticism over her personal wealth and remarking, "I want to have the most progressive agenda in the Democratic Party – not one for socialites".[1] He also was unsuccessful in his 2002 race againstMark Leno for a seat in theCalifornia State Assembly.[17]
Britt directed the Weekend BA Degree Completion Program atNew College of California, which closed in January 2008 due to financial problems.[18]
Britt's health declined in his later years due to diabetes.[1] He died atLaguna Honda Hospital on June 24, 2020, at the age of 82.[19]