A History of Black Milwaukee

There have been Black Milwaukeeans for as long as there’s been a Milwaukee. African Americans were here when the future metropolis was just a fur-trading post, and they grew with the city during its rise as a hotbed of abolitionist activity, an industrial powerhouse, and a haven for immigrants. The group’s numbers soared during the Great Migration of the twentieth century, and Black Milwaukeeans are the city’s largest single cultural group today. Unfolding over nearly two centuries, their story is an inspiring chronicle of struggle, resilience, and pride.
This program is rooted in my belief that, in a city too often identified by its European heritage, history belongs to everyone. Clayborn Benson, founder and executive director of the Wisconsin Black Historical Museum, will introduce me and facilitate Q&A.