Finding aid to the Harvey Milk Letters to Joe Campbell, 1961-[1971]
Finding aid prepared by Tim Wilson
James C. Hormel Gay & Lesbian Center, San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA, 94102
(415) 557-4400
info@sfpl.org
2006
Title: Harvey Milk Letters to Joe Campbell,
Date (inclusive): 1961-[1971]
Collection Identifier: GLC 20
Creator:
Milk, Harvey
Physical Description:
61.0 folders
Contributing Institution:
James C. Hormel Gay & Lesbian Center, San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 557-4567
info@sfpl.org
Abstract: This collection contains 59 letters and cards from Harvey Milk to Joe Campbell; most were written after their romantic relationship
ended.
Physical Location: The collection is stored onsite.
Language of Materials: Collection materials are in
English.
Access
The collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
The library holds copyright for letters written by Harvey Milk. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts
must be submitted in writing to the City Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public
Library as the owner of the physical items.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Harvey Milk Letters to Joe Campbell (GLC 20), Gay and Lesbian Center, San Francisco Public Library.
Provenance
The collection was donated to the San Francisco Public Library in two accessions. Joe Campbell donated 29 letters in 1993;
Callie Angell, of the Andy Warhol Film Project, donated an additional 32 letters and transcripts in 2006.
Related materials
Researchers are encouraged to see also the Harvey Milk Letters to Susan Davis Alch (GLC 19), the Harvey Milk Archives--Scott
Smith Collection (GLC 35) and the Randy Shilts Papers--The Mayor of Castro Street series (GLC 43), Gay & Lesbian Center, San
Francisco Public Library.
Biographical note
Harvey Milk, a San Francisco politician and gay rights activist, was born in Woodmere, New York on May 22, 1930. Joe Campbell
was born on November 4, 1936. Milk and Campbell met at Riis Park Beach, Queens, New York in July 1956 and their relationship
lasted into 1962. Much later Milk later moved to San Francisco, entered politics, and was assassinated along with Mayor George
Moscone in 1978.
In the 1960s Campbell was a member of the Andy Warhol crowd and was dubbed the "Sugar Plum Fairy" by Dorothy Dean, a friend
from that set. Campbell appeared in the Warhol film
My Hustler (1965) as the character Sugar Plum Fairy, and Lou Reed's
Walk on the Wild Side (1972) contains a reference to Campbell by that moniker as well.
Later Joe Campbell had a significant relationship with Oliver "Bill" Sipple, a former Marine. Sipple came into the public
eye in 1975 for thwarting an assassination attempt on the life of Gerald Ford. Joe Campbell died on October 2, 2005.
Scope and Contents
This collection contains 59 letters and cards from Milk to Joe Campbell; most were written after their relationship ended
and contain a "-san" suffix to both of their names. In many of the earlier letters, Milk tells how much he still cares for
Campbell and how hurt Milk is that Campbell does not return his feelings. The letters from San Juan, Puerto Rico and Miami
detail Milk's unsuccessful attempts to find work. The later letters contain advice for Campbell and his lover Oliver "Bill"
Sipple, Milk's day-to-day activities with Jack Galen McKinley, reviews of opera and other musical events, and remarks on police
harassment of gays and gay bars. About 10 are greeting cards for birthdays or Valentine's Day.
The collection also contains the transcript of one letter from Dorothy Dean to Joe Campbell, and one folder of letters which
are edited transcripts of portions of the Milk letters.
Arrangement note
The letters are arranged in chronological order. Square brackets indicate dates supplied by the archivist; some dates are
approximations, others are drawn from postmarks or the contents of the letter. Undated letters and cards are filed at the
end.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Campbell, Joe -- Correspondence
Milk, Harvey -- Correspondence
Gay men--United States--Biography
Folder 1
Harvey [Milk], New York, NY to Joe [Campbell],
1961 November 27 postmark
Folder 34
Harvey Milk, New York, NY to Joe Frank Campbell, Nashville, TN,
1961 November 29 postmark
Folder 2
Harvey Milk, New York, NY to Joe Campbell, Nashville, TN,
[1961 December 1] Friday am
Folder 3
New York Times,
1961 December 29
General note
Clipping re: lines for Radio City Music Hall.
Folder 4
Harvey Milk, New York, NY to Joe Frank Campbell, Nashville, TN,
1961 December 30 postmark
Folder 5
Harvey Milk, New York, NY to Joe Campbell, Nashville, TN,
[1962 January 4] Thursday night
Folder 6
Nashville Tennessean,
1962 July 29
General note
Clipping re: Hugh Shivers's reunion.
Folder 7
Harvey Milk, San Juan, PR to Joe Campbell, New York, NY,
[1962 August 23] Thursday
Folder 8
Christmas card from Harvey [Milk] to Joe [Campbell],
1962 [December]
Folder 9
H[arvey Milk], New York, NY to [Joe] Campbell, [New York, NY],
1963 January 10
Folder 10
Harvey [Milk], San Juan, PR to Joe [Campbell], [New York, NY],
[1963 March 6?] Wed.
Folder 11
Harvey Milk, San Juan, PR to Joe Campbell, New York, NY,
[1963 March 6] Wed. night
Folder 12
Harvey [Milk], San Juan, PR to Joe Campbell, New York, NY,
1963 March 6 Wed. after talking with you
Folder 13
Harvey [Milk], [San Juan, PR] to Joe [Campbell], [New York, NY],
[1963 March 7?] Again Thursday
Folder 14
Harvey Milk, San Juan, PR to Joe Campbell, New York, NY,
[1963 March 8] Friday
Folder 15
Puerto Rico Industrial Development Co., San Juan, PR to Joseph Campbell, New York, NY,
1963 March 8
General note
Re: job reference for Harvey Milk.
Folder 16
Harvey [Milk], Miami Beach, FL to Joe Campbell, New York, NY,
1963 March 10
General note
Telegram with draft of Joe's response on the back.
Folder 17
Harvey [Milk], Miami Beach, FL to Joe [Campbell, New York, NY],
[1963 March 10] Sunday night
Folder 18
Harvey Milk, Miami Beach, FL to Joe Frank Campbell, New York, NY,
1963 March 19 postmark
Folder 19
Harvey [Milk], Miami Beach, FL to Joe Campbell, New York, NY,
[1963 March 29]
Folder 20
Harvey Milk, Miami Beach, FL to Joe Campbell, New York, NY,
[1963 April 5]
Folder 21
Harvey [Milk], M[iami] B[each, FL] to Joe [Campbell], [New York, NY?],
[1963 April 9?] Tuesday 7:30
Folder 22
Harvey Milk, Miami Beach, FL to Joe Campbell, New York, NY,
[1963 April 11] Thursday
Folder 23
Harvey [Milk], Miami, FL to Joe F. Campbell, New York, NY,
1963 April 20 postmark
Folder 24
Harvey [Milk], New York, NY to Joe Campbell New York, NY,
[1963 August 12] Monday
Folder 25
Harvey [Milk] to Joe [Campbell],
[1963?] Wednesday at work
Folder 26
Harvey [Milk] to Joe [Campbell],
[1963?]
Folder 27
Harvey [Milk], [New York, NY] to Joe [Campbell] and Bill [Sipple], [Ft. Lauderdale, FL?],
[1964/5? March 21/22?] Sunday
Folder 28
Harvey Milk, New York, NY to Joe Campbell New York, NY,
[1964 May 21]
Folder 29
Harvey [Milk] to Joe Frank [Campbell],
[1964 November 4]
General note
Birthday note.
Folder 30
Harvey Milk, New York, NY to Joseph Campbell and Oliver Sipple, Ft. Lauderdale, FL,
1965 February 26 postmark
Folder 31
Galen [McKinley] and Harv[ey Milk] to Joe Campbell,
1965 May 17 postmark
General note
Postcard forwarded to Jamaica, Long Island, New York.
Folder 32
G[alen McKinley] and H[arvey Milk] to [Joe] Campbell and [Bill] Sipple in Ft. Lauderdale, FL,
[1965?]
General note
Postcard of Palm Beach, Florida.
Folder 33
Greeting card from Harvey [Milk], Dallas, TX to Joe Campbell, New York, NY,
1966 October 3 postmark
Folder 35
Harvey [Milk], [Dallas, TX] to Joe [Campbell], [CA?],
[1967?] Tuesday
Folder 36
Harvey [Milk] to [Joe Campbell], New York, NY,
[1967?]
Folder 37
Christmas card from Harvey [Milk], Dallas, TX to Joe Campbell, San Francisco, CA,
1968 December 12 postmark
Folder 38
[Harvey Milk], Dallas, TX to Joe Frank Campbell, San Francisco, CA,
1968 December 25
Folder 39
H[arvey Milk], New York, NY to Joe [Campbell],
[196-] Monday
Folder 40
Harvey [Milk], Waldorf-Astoria, New York, NY to [Joe Campbell], [Ft. Lauderdale, FL?],
[196- Jan.-Feb.] Sunday night
Folder 41
Harvey [Milk], New York, NY to Joe [Campbell] and Bill [Sipple], [Ft. Lauderdale, FL],
[196-?] Tuesday
Folder 42
Harvey [Milk], [New York, NY?] to Joe [Campbell] and Bill [Sipple], [Ft. Lauderdale, FL],
[196-?] Friday
Folder 43
[Harvey Milk] to [Joe] Campbell, Fairfax, CA,
1970 December? 4 postmark
General note
Postcard with Harvey's? new address.
Folder 44
Dorothy Dean to Joe Campbell,
[1971]
General note
Re: seeing Harvey Milk and Jack Galen McKinley and the production of
Lenny.
Folder 45
"Edited version of Joe Campbell's letters,"
1962-1964, [1971], undated
General note
Transcripts of letters, some are from the earlier accession.
Folder 46
Harvey [Milk] to Joe [Campbell],
undated
General note
Re: break-up and gay relationships.
Folder 47
Harvey [Milk] to Joe [Campbell],
undated
General note
Re: packing for trip to Mexico City.
Folder 48
[Joe Campbell's mother? to Joe Campbell?],
undated
General note
Letter mentions his father and Christmas, an interview with President Kennedy and Premier Kruschev's son-in-law in the Russian
newspaper
Izvestia.
Folder 49
[Harvey Milk] "Hellouminum!" card
undated
General note
Card with picture of Kodak Cavalcade slide projector and the note "I'll buy you a car for Xmass if you'll buy me this for
Xmass & I don't mean the cup of coffee."
Folder 50
Halloween card from "Bunny Bumper,"
undated
Folder 51
Valentine's Day card from Harvey [Milk] to Joe [Campbell],
[February 14]
Folder 52
Birthday card from Harvey [Milk] to Joe [Campbell],
[November 4]
Folder 53
"The Lost Children of Joesan" by Harvey [Milk],
undated
Folder 54
[Harvey Milk to Joe Campbell],
undated
General note
"Mounstrous Ogre," "Hellouminum! I could eat you Upuminum!"
Folder 55
Birthday card from Harvey [Milk] to Joe [Campbell],
[November 4]
Folder 56
Birthday card from Harvey [Milk] to Joe [Campbell],
[November 4]
Folder 57
Birthday card from Harvey [Milk] to [Joe Campbell],
[November 4]
Folder 58
Birthday card from Harvey [Milk] to [Joe Campbell],
[November 4]
Folder 59
Birthday card from Harvey [Milk] to [Joe Campbell],
[November 4]
Folder 60
Valentine's Day card from Harvey [Milk] to Joe [Campbell],
[February 14]
Folder 61
Greeting card from Harvey [Milk] to Joe [Campbell],
undated
