Created Equal: An American Ideal on Screen (Milk)

Join the National Portrait Gallery for a film series exploring the legacy of the phrase “all men are created equal” on screen. In the 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, generations of Americans have been inspired by this powerful expression of the nation’s founding ideals. Through the stories of figures ranging from Abraham Lincoln to Harvey Milk, discover how Thomas Jefferson’s famous words have served as a rallying cry in the ongoing struggle for equality. Screenings include:
 
Milk (2008) 
Based on the inspiring true story of Harvey Milk, this biographical drama follows a charismatic gay rights activist who becomes the first openly LGBTQ+ politician to be elected to public office in California. Starring Sean Penn, the film chronicles Milk's rise as a grassroots political figure in San Francisco’s Castro District, cut short by his tragic assassination in 1978.