Today in Gay History - 11/27/11: 1700's Sodomy, Dan White murders Harvey Milk, Gays on Dick and more

[WillParkinson]

November 27

November 27, 1700 - A new law concerning sodomy was passed by the Pennsylvania assembly. If committed by a white man, sodomy was punishable by life in prison and, at the discretion of the judge, a whipping every three months for the first year. If married, the man was castrated and his wife was granted a divorce. If committed by a black man, the punishment for sodomy was death.

November 27, 1970 - Marty Robinson and Arthur Evans of the Gay Activist Alliance appeared on the Dick Cavett Show.

November 27, 1978 - Formation of first Parents of Gays group in Canada.

November 27, 1978 - Conservative Dan White, after discovering that he would not be re-appointed to his seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, took a gun and extra ammunition and goes to City Hall. He entered through a lower level window to avoid the metal detectors and went to the office of Mayor George Moscone, who was supportive of the gay community, and fired four shots, two to the head. Those who heard the gunshots did not realize what they were hearing, giving him time to reload his gun and go to the office of Supervisor Harvey Milk (the first openly gay man to be elected in a major American city) and fire five shots. Both men were pronounced dead. Dan White would later be convicted of manslaughter and serve only about five years.

November 27, 1998 - Former Zimbabwean President Canaan Banana was convicted of eleven counts of sodomy and indecent assault.

[xchrom]

1. Recommend

[mitchtv]

2. I remember that black day in '78

I remember the profound feeling of loss and the theft of our representation.I remember the white hot rage that followed.

[Zorra]

3. A black day, for sure.

:cry:

[William769]

4. K&R.