By Karen Stokes Each year, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) chooses a different theme for Black History Month. This year, the theme is “African Americans and the Arts.” “African American artists have used art to preserve history and community memory as well as for empowerment,” the ASALH says […]
Commemorating Black History Month
By Tammy Baldwin This February, we mark the 48th anniversary of Black History Month, a month in which we honor the achievements and sacrifices of Black Americans throughout our nation’s history. Black History Month in 2024 Long before the federal recognition of Black History Month, Black Americans were spearheading efforts to celebrate Black history in […]
Sisters in the Struggle: Paying Homage to Black Women Politicians
By LaKeshia N. Myers Happy Black History Month Wisconsin! Did you know there were only 383 Black women serving in state legislatures in the United States? That’s right, only 383 (according to the Center for American Women in Politics); or 5.2% of all state legislators. In Wisconsin’s one hundred seventy-six year history, we have only […]
Thrilling History of Black Excellence in Our National Parks
By Audrey Peterman As recipient of the National Park Conservation Association’s Centennial Leadership Award 2022 “for outstanding contribution toward ensuring our national parks are ready for their second century of service,” I embrace Black History Month as an opportunity to take you on a tour to some of the glorious places in the National Park […]
And the Winner is…
My question to ponder is, “How can you heal in the same place that made you ill, if the status quo remains?””
WISDEMS Hosts Black History Month Social Hour with Dr. Hasan Jeffries
By Karen Stokes During the final days of Black History Month the community was invited to a social hour at Tropic MKE to meet with special guest Dr. Hasan Jeffries. Wisconsin Democrats (WisDems) Black Caucus and the Milwaukee County Democrats, hosted the event and guests had the opportunity to eat, drink and socialize with Supreme […]
Photographer Helps Students Celebrate Black History Month by Bringing History to Life
By Karen Stokes Black History Month promotes the studying of African American history and to celebrate the accomplishments of African Americans to our society. Terrance Sims, a local Milwaukee photographer and former Milwaukee Public Schools teacher had the idea to bring history to life by having students research historic and famous African American figures like […]
Black History Month: Oby Nwabuzor Takes the Unorthodox Approach
By Ana Martinez-Ortiz Obiageli ‘Oby’ Nwabuzor will be the first to tell you she loves Milwaukee. For her, Milwaukee is home, but the Milwaukee she grew up in isn’t the one she sees today. Milwaukee was promising, she said, and while great things are happening in some parts of the city, other parts are being […]
Black History Month: A Bookstore for Milwaukee, Ashley Valentine Gets Ready to Launch Rooted MKE
By Ana Martinez-Ortiz Bedtime at the Valentine household means story time. Almost every night, Ashley Valentine and her husband read to their son from a children’s graphic novel series known as Akissi. The series, written by Marguerite Abouet and Mathieu Sapin, takes place on the Ivory Coast and depicts the misadventures of Akissi, a young […]
Black History is American History
Legislatively Speaking By Senator Lena C. Taylor Anyone that knows me has heard me utter the name Ezekiel Gillespie. You can’t talk about the history of voting rights in Wisconsin and not discuss this African American legend. Gillespie was born into slavery in 1818, in Canton, Mississippi. At some point, he purchased his freedom from […]