AJR8-SSA1,2,4
1Whereas, the United States has recognized black history annually since
2February 12, 1926, first as “Negro History Week" and later as “Black History Month,"
3by noted Harvard scholar and historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson, celebrating the
4ethnic and racial diversity that enriches and strengthens our nation; and
AJR8-SSA1,2,95 Whereas, both enslaved and free people of African descent have participated in
6every aspect of America's effort to secure, protect, and advance the cause of freedom
7and civil rights and have stories that are an inspiration to all citizens, that reflect
8the triumph of the human spirit and offer the hopes of everyday people to rise above
9both prejudice and circumstance and to build lives of dignity; and
AJR8-SSA1,2,1110 Whereas, people of African descent or African Americans have made
11measurable differences in their respective industries, people such as:
AJR8-SSA1,2,13 12 Lucien H. Palmer — Wisconsin's first black legislator, elected in 1906 to the
13state Assembly;
AJR8-SSA1,2,15 14 Le Roy J. Simmons — Wisconsin's second black legislator, elected in 1944 to
15the state Assembly;
AJR8-SSA1,2,18 16 George Edwin Taylor — Former Wisconsin resident and African American
17who ran for the office of President of the United States in 1904, as a candidate of the
18National Negro Liberty Party;
AJR8-SSA1,2,20 19 James “Jim” Caldwell — Beloit native, NFL coach (Indianapolis Colts from
202009 to 2011 leading the team to the playoffs four times, Detroit Lions 2014-17);
AJR8-SSA1,2,24 21 Dr. Daniel Hale Williams — African American cardiologist that performed the
22first successful open heart surgery in the world, founded Provident Hospital, the first
23nonsegregated hospital in the United States, set up the first nursing school for
24blacks, born a free black person in 1856;
AJR8-SSA1,3,2
1 Violette Neatly Anderson — First black woman to argue a case before the U.S.
2Supreme Court in 1926;
AJR8-SSA1,3,7 3 Milele Chikasa Anana — Publisher, UMOJA Magazine, a monthly journal of
4positive, encouraging news about African American people and opportunities in
5Madison, a civil rights activist, business leader, and former city of Madison
6affirmative action officer, and the first African American elected to the Madison
7school board;
AJR8-SSA1,3,11 8 The Oshkosh 94 — November 21, 1968, 94 African American students at the
9then Wisconsin State University-Oshkosh engaged in dramatic demonstrations
10directed toward campus administrators when their requests for equal rights on
11campus were ignored;
AJR8-SSA1,3,15 12 Eric Von — Long serving and influential former voice of black talk radio,
13journalist and broadcaster for Radio One, WNOV-AM (860), WMCS-AM (1290), and
14WISN Channel 12, and the founder of the online men's health magazine Brain,
15Brawn & Body;
AJR8-SSA1,3,17 16 Arthur Jones — Milwaukee's 16th Chief of Police and the first African
17American to serve in this capacity;
AJR8-SSA1,3,20 18 Reggie Jackson — Head Griot of America's Black Holocaust Museum,
19historian and researcher on Milwaukee's history of institutional segregation, the
20effects of systemic racism, and the reality of modern segregation;
AJR8-SSA1,3,23 21 Milele Coggs — Attorney, City of Milwaukee Alderwoman, youngest woman
22ever elected to Milwaukee's Common Council and the first African American female
23to ever serve as chair of the powerful Finance and Personnel Committee;
AJR8-SSA1,4,3
1 Colin Kaepernick — Milwaukee native, political activist and NFL
2quarterback, who formerly played with the San Francisco 49ers, who has sought to
3raise attention to racial injustice and systemic oppression;
AJR8-SSA1,4,9 4 Gerard Randall — Executive Director of the Milwaukee Education
5Partnership, former CEO of the Private Industry Council, former member and Vice
6President of the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents, and currently
7board member of Cardinal Stritch University, the Milwaukee Public Museum, the
8Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership, VISIT Milwaukee, and the
9Wisconsin Arts Board;
AJR8-SSA1,4,13 10 Lisa Peyton Caire — Founded The Foundation for Black Women's Wellness,
11a Wisconsin-based nonprofit organization committed to eliminating health
12disparities and other barriers impacting the lives of African American women and
13girls;
AJR8-SSA1,4,15 14 James Causey — Editorial writer, columnist, and reporter for the Milwaukee
15Journal Sentinel;
AJR8-SSA1,4,17 16 Carolyn Stanford Taylor — Wisconsin's first African American State
17Superintendent of the Department of Public Instruction;
AJR8-SSA1,4,21 18 Curtiss Harris — Business leadership, served the African American Chamber
19of Commerce, the Minority Business Opportunity Committee, The Milwaukee
20Forum, Milwaukee's Minority Business Enterprise Committee, and Milwaukee
21Black Business;
AJR8-SSA1,4,24 22 Dr. Alex Gee — Pastor, author, pioneered the Nehemiah Center for Urban
23Leadership Development, developing and mobilizing emerging African American
24leaders;
AJR8-SSA1,5,2
1 Satchel Paige — First African American pitcher to be inducted into the
2Baseball Hall of Fame;
AJR8-SSA1,5,4 3 Condoleezza Rice — First and only female National Security Advisor and first
4African American female Secretary of State;
AJR8-SSA1,5,7 5 Reuben Harpole Jr. — Civil rights activist, community educator, launched the
6Freedom Schools to keep students of color engaged in education during the boycotts
7to protest racial segregation in Milwaukee Public Schools;
AJR8-SSA1,5,10 8 Mark Wade Sr. — Business leadership (General Mitchell International
9Airport concessionaire, All-Star Honda dealership, restaurateur), board chair –
10African World Festival, philanthropist;
AJR8-SSA1,5,14 11 Chandra Cooper — Founder and CEO of Grateful Girls, a nonprofit that
12provides services and housing for young women who have been sex-trafficked,
13business owner of a communications and entertainment company, a childcare center,
14and a retail store;
AJR8-SSA1,5,20 15 Kevin Newell — CEO of Royal Capital Group, prior roles in public finance led
16to an allocation of over $200 million in federal and state resources as the senior
17underwriter and to the deployment of the largest single allocation of federal tax
18credits in U.S. history, and in a separate transaction led the deployment of the first
19pairing of the low-income housing tax credit and new markets tax credit in
20Wisconsin state's history;
AJR8-SSA1,5,22 21 Rev. Greg Lewis — Chair of Pastors United, a diverse cross section of
22stakeholders from the faith community, civil rights activist;
AJR8-SSA1,5,24 23 Marques Johnson — Seven-season veteran of the Milwaukee Bucks,
24five-time NBA All-Star, and whose jersey was recently retired;
AJR8-SSA1,6,2
1 Marcia Anderson — First African American woman to rise to the rank of Major
2General in the U.S. Army Reserve; and
AJR8-SSA1,6,4 3 Phil Cockroft — Milwaukee Fire Department, heavy equipment operator and
4emergency medical technician; and
AJR8-SSA1,6,105 Whereas, while acknowledging the work of these leaders, it is equally critical
6to appreciate, both past and present, the long list of contributions of our fellow
7citizens, Black History Month gives Wisconsinites an occasion to recognize the
8significant influence people of African heritage have made, and continue to make, in
9the areas of medicine, art, politics, human rights, education, sports, and economic
10development; now, therefore, be it
AJR8-SSA1,6,14 11Resolved by the senate, the senate concurring, That the Wisconsin
12Legislature proclaims February 2019 as Black History Month and extends
13appreciation to the above-named persons for their contributions to the state of
14Wisconsin and the country and their fellow citizens.
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