Milwaukee
Milwaukee is the largest city in the state of Wisconsin and the home of America’s Black Holocaust Museum. Originally settled by German immigrants, Milwaukee became more of a melting pot during subquest immigration waves. The city was well known for manufacturing materials and beer, and local sports teams such as the Brewers still pay homage to those roots. Milwaukee’s Bronzeville neighborhood, of which America’s Black Holocaust Museum is a part, was originally settled by Germans before becoming the African-American center of the city.
Currently, Milwaukee has 1.18 more Black or African American residents than any other race. Racism is often prevalent, and Milwaukee is also known as the most segregated city in the country. The economic disparities are especially dire, with Black Milwaukeeans experiencing poverty at five times the rate of their white counterparts. Racial issues in Milwaukee made the city important in conversations about race during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Milwaukee is more politically liberal than much of Wisconsin, perhaps because of the demographics of its residents. Due to political lean, some politicians have attempted to influence politics by closing polling places in the city, much like they attempt to control elections by changing polling maps.
Nevertheless, the Black community and culture survive and even thrive in Milwaukee. The city welcomes speakers, organizations, and events recognizing and celebrating Black culture, including an annual weekly celebration of the Bronzeville neighborhood, which includes America’s Blakc History Museum. Mayor Cavalier Johnson is the city’s first Black mayor, while the city recently inducted its first Black woman as deputy fire chief.
Posts Tagged ‘Milwaukee’
Special News Series: Rising Up For Justice! – 45 Wisconsin Communities Protest
As video of George Floyd’s death spread across the US, protests followed in major cities — as well as unexpected small cities and tiny virtually all-white towns around Wisconsin.
Read MoreWHEN HELL FREEZES OVER: NEW DOCUMENTARY CELEBRATES THE LIFE OF FATHER JAMES GROPPI
2020 will see the premiere of a new documentary movie about Milwaukee’s own civil rights leader, Father James Groppi. The demand for equal rights and justice he spotlighted in the 1960s remains as relevant and controversial today as it was over 50 years ago.
Read MoreCNN Highlights Living While Black in Milwaukee
On June 9, 2019 CNN’s “United Shades of America” series with Kamau Bell aired a one-hour segment of interviews with black Milwaukeeans entitled “Living While Black.” Reggie Jackson, Head Griot of ABHM, was featured.
Read MoreMKE Turners Turn $4,000 into a $16,000 Gift to Support ABHM
Milwaukee Turners organization, its leadership, members, and supporters raised $8000 to support ABHM. With the dollar-for-dollar match by philanthropist and MKE County Executive Chris Abele, this resulted in a total gift of $16,000 to the museum! The Milwaukee Turners, founded by abolitionists in the 1850s, is the oldest civic organization in the city and has been deeply committed to social justice since its founding.
Read MorePublic hearing to determine if George Marshall Clark’s lynching site will be added as landmark
George Marshall Clark, a free Black man, is the only person to be hung in Milwaukee’s history . He deserves to be recognized with a historical marker at the lynching site.
Read MoreJuneteenth and the future of Milwaukee
American descendants of slaves have celebrated Juneteenth for 153 years, but freedom remains elusive for many.
Read MoreMilwaukee museum pulls black people ‘out of the shadows of history’
By Sophie Bolich, Max Nawara, and Aly Prouty, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service Editor’s note: This is one of an occasional series of articles about the people and places of 53206. The museum sits behind a locked door in an inconspicuous red brick building on the corner of 27th and Center streets. To enter, visitors have to ring the…
Read MoreHelp Bring ABHM Home! Museum’s New Space Rises in Bronzeville
ABHM announces its restoration as a physical museum. A $7 million capital (building fund) campaign will enable the museum to be housed on its former site but on the ground floor of a brand new apartment building in Milwaukee’s historic Bronzeville neighborhood.
Read MoreThe History and Impact of ABHM
An overview of the impact ABHM has had locally, nationally and internationally since its founding in 1984 – as a museum with and without walls.
Read MoreJuly 2017
A listing of events in July 2017, including a description of the speakers and topics covered, date/time and addresses of the presentations.
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