Black Nouveau

(bright music plays) (hip hop music starts) - Hello everybody and welcome to Black Nouveau.

I'm Earl Arms and this is our October edition.

And this month starts our thirty-first season of providing news, information and entertainment by and about African American communities in southeast Wisconsin, the nation and the world.

Tonight we'll talk with some of Wisconsin's Prince Hall Masons, who have been serving the community for almost a century.

We'll visit the Milwaukee Rep where John-Mark McGaha tells us why Nat King Cole is so unforgettable.

And, Milwaukee griot Reggie Jackson joins us to discuss a new emerging racial justice organization: Redress.

We begin though, with a story about family.

Alexandria Mack introduces us to two brothers with a family history in Milwaukee that stretches as far back as 1917, a time where black people made up just 1% of the city's population.

Now the brothers are working to preserve the history of the generations before and after them and what they're calling their ancestral home (hip hop music plays) (music fades out) (Piano melody begins) - Grand mama bought a camera and start taking pictures so we have all these old pictures from way back.

And then it kept going so Mama had a whole album.

- For brothers Robert and James Mosley, these photographs capture more than history.

- [James] This, this was, mama had these photos, it was a graduation gift for her in 1933.

It's kind of got the old brown pages and you know, it's just kind of tattered a bit, but all the old photos are there.

(Piano melody continues) That's been the tradition.

You know, capture, capture the history, capture the moment.

Understand the value of who you are and where you came from.

- These images tell the story of a family legacy in Milwaukee that stretches back as far as the early 20th century.

- [Robert] My mother was a, was a Tucker, and they came here first.

Well both families were here over a hundred years.

The Mosley side came to Milwaukee in 1919, and just, they didn't find out until later on from the same little city.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Didn't know each other at all.

- [James] At that time, Milwaukee was becoming kind of a slow-growing industrial town.

(indistinct) Now think about this: They had gone to Tuskegee.

- Yeah.

- [James] The machinist, our grandfather.

Our granduncle, radio.

- Yeah.

- [James] Now see this is the early part of the century.

That's, that stuff was new.

So they came to this industrial place where this industry was beginning to get jobs.

This is Augustus, (indistinct) this is Uncle Gus.

Worked for Boeing.

- And it's a family history that is rich in memories that have transcended five generations.

- [Robert] They lived over there on, on on Vliet for about four years.

And the early twenties, they moved on the south side because that's where his job was at.

My grandfather's job.

So they lived on what was now 6th street, South 6th Street.

- [James] Now, at the same time, my grandmother, Viola, she was a designer, a clothing designer for the Milwaukee public schools, in the German cultural department.

Now, isn't that interesting?

- I spoke with author Sandra Jones about her book, Voices of Bronzeville, which looks at African Americans in Milwaukee, born between 1920 and 1940.

She says it's rare for black families in the area to have roots of over a hundred years.

- It's not common because most of the, the, the bulk of the of the black population arrived during the Great migration.

And so, you know, we're talking, I guess, you know say beginning in the twenties and the thirties, even in the 1940s, the population of black Milwaukee was less than 10,000.

And then after the 1940s, a big boom.

And by 1960 it was almost 70,000 African Americans in the city.

So those who have roots that go back a hundred years, it's not that big.

It's not that large.

(bright music begins) - Before World War Two, African Americans made up just 1.5% of Milwaukee's population with over 8,000.

(music continues) By 1960, this number ballooned to over 60,000.

(music continues) The Mosley brothers vividly remembered this shift.

- [James] I remember we were told, okay, very clearly when you go that way, make sure you either walk down Vliet or Walnut.

Okay?

Don't go into the neighborhoods.

And you have to understand that.

See, that was all, it was all white.

Don't go into the neighborhoods.

That's what we were told.

So you you, you go, you go down the main street, cause that could be that literally that could be somebody would, could call the cops on you.

And that's the thing I remember being told because that was just the warning we were given.

- Early Black Milwaukee-ans didn't have that racial tension.

But as the city developed as race relations began to define our city, racism and racial restrictions became a very significant part of life for black people in the city and it remains today.

- But the changes in the city never deterred this family from remaining where their grandparents were the first to call home.

- [James] We have a consistent story, which is similar to what we could call an ancestral home.

If you go to other countries, right?

What, what's your ancestral home?

This is our ancestral home for the Tuckers and the Mosleys.

So anybody that comes from here , will know the history of how we, this became the ancestral home.

- Now as fathers, grandfathers, and even great grandfathers, these men use their family history to celebrate a lineage of pursuing greatness.

- [Robert] A lot of our the lives of our, our ancestors, they were inspirational.

They told you, you can do this because we accomplished certain things.

- [James] Just the whole idea of, of achieving something.

- [Robert] Yeah.

Achieving something.

- [James] So that that theme has never left our family.

(indistinct) - It's almost like if you pop up as a Mosley, you better.

That's been the tradition to take the pictures.

Record history.

(music ends) (hip hop music playing) - Unforgettable.

That's what you are.

Unforgettable, Though near or far.

- The voice is indeed unforgettable.

And the number of hit records is incredible.

- Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.

Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa men have named you.

Around the world.

I've searched for you, Fly me to the moon.

- Yet few people today know much if anything about Nathaniel Adams Coles.

- [John-Mark] Nat King Cole is a vital piece of the story of America.

Nat King Cole was able to not only overcome the systems that were at play in that day and unfortunately still today, but he was able to rise above those things and present a narrative that was not the the agreed upon narrative for most of America.

- Unforgettable in every way and forevermore that's how you'll stay - In Unforgettable, Currently at the Milwaukee Rep Stackner Theater, John Mark McGaha brings Nat King Cole's story and music to life.

From the jazz he created with the Nat King Cole trio to his own inimitable sound, he captivated audiences both black and white.

- [John-Mark] It was his music that established that built capital records.

It was his music that popularized the Great American song book.

It was his music that gave that particular era the sound that we know.

When we listened to that sound that was because of Nat King Cole.

And so his ability to do that while yet, and still during that particular era, being a, an African American in that time, just speaks volumes about just how much of a master of his craft he was.

(Jazz music begins) His piano playing was really I don't think anybody could say they were better than Nat King Cole when it comes to piano.

He was a just a phenomenal musician.

- Both men have similar backgrounds.

Born in Alabama, both grew up in church.

Cole's family moved to Chicago when he was four.

There his father became a Baptist minister.

His mother taught him to play the church organ and he learned to play everything from jazz to classical music.

- Love is more than just a game for two.

- McGaha's musical training also encompasses many music genres.

And the church played a role in his development as well.

- [John-Mark] I grew up at a church, for instance, my pastor growing up was the secretary for the Civil Rights Movement.

His name was Nelson Henry Smith.

I had the, the honor and the privilege of spending time with men like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.

And I worked at the Civil Rights Institute back at home in Birmingham, Alabama.

And so that has been a big part of my upbringing and my perspective when it comes to how I view the things that not only took place but take place even now.

And so when I look at Nat King Cole's story and his ability to navigate in the world during that time the complexities of it, there's always been a very, very very interesting story to me.

(slow jazz music begins) - In the evenings, may I come and sing to you all the songs that I would like to bring to you (drum roll) - The Nat King Cole Show with tonight's guest Eartha Kit!

(horns playing) - Ooh think it'll be a good show tonight?

(indistinct) - Uh huh, thank you.

- In 1956 he became the first black man to host his own network television show.

- [John-Mark] He had a show.

It was, the ratings were great.

It was a success by all accounts but at the same time, because, because he was a black man and because of the world at that particular time it was only able to last one season because of because the inability of NBC to get sponsorship.

- Cole would continue to be popular in concerts, selling records, and making television appearances until his death in 1965.

Decades later his daughter Natalie would remind us about her famous father.

- I'd like to have someone join me on this next song.

Someone who I'm sure needs no introduction, because the first word says it all.

Unforgettable - [John-Mark] Natalie's career is basically what revived his name in the earth in an, in an incredible way.

- And so does this show.

- That's why Darling, it's incredible that someone so unforgettable thinks that I am unforgettable Too.

(music ends) (hip hop music playing) - Black men have been practicing masonry in the United States since the 18th century.

But it wasn't until the 20th century that the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Wisconsin was established.

The Prince Hall Masons have been present and active throughout Milwaukee and the state since 1925.

Their goal?

To serve the community through faith, hope, and charity.

Tonight, Black Nouveau looks into how they've done just that and how they see their role evolving as they approach 100 years in Wisconsin.

- We, as free masons use the idea of the certain tools to build a better spiritual and physical body.

So when they're talking about building a actual structure, we're working on improving and building a better personal structure, for that man.

- [Earl] On June 29th, 1925, the first four Wisconsin lodges were established in Milwaukee, Madison, and Beloit under the first most worshipful Grand Master L.B.

Shepherd.

Samuel Stotts is the current leader of around 550 Prince Hall Masons throughout the state which also includes Racine and Kenosha.

He explains that a part of being a mason is having belief in a higher being and a commitment to community and country.

- [Stotts] We do a lot of scholarships through our foundation, the Prince Hall Foundation.

Also on the women's side, the Order of Eastern Star, they also have a charitable foundation which we do multiple scholarships.

We do food drives, food pantries.

We do a lot of book bag events where we give out school supplies to kids.

Mostly you will see us in charitable organizations.

Lately we've been partnering with a lot of different organizations at different events like blood drives and other activities throughout the community that are assistant to the members of the city.

- One of the latest events is their observance of Prince Hall and Americanism Day at Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church in Milwaukee.

That's where we spoke to Faiza Abdul Allah, the Grand Lodge photographer who was born in the United Kingdom, but became a Prince Hall mason upon arriving in Madison.

- [Faiza] The more I travel, the more I become, you know, experienced within Masonry, begin to see the signs and the codes and the symbols and brothers reach out to you because they see your conduct, your sign, your symbol.

So there's a it's a beautiful system that helps you not only become a better person, but also be a better human being and how you can contribute charity to others.

And the beautiful thing with masonry, the more and more I go to the, the events, the dinners, the ceremonies you see so many people that share the same optics as me part of the so-called, you know, fraternal organization, but also a part of the kind of black intelligence here.

So it's a really beautiful way that you can feel supported in your day to day life.

- [Earl] Membership among the Wisconsin Prince Hall Masons peaked in the 1970s when there were around 1000 members throughout the state.

With just over half that number now, Stotts says efforts are on to increase membership among younger generations and remain active.

- [Stotts] The dwindling of the health of the older members and just, you know, a lot of younger men, they feel that the organization is based and more centered toward older men.

But I think we have a great blend of older gentlemen and younger gentlemen.

We continue to do just kind of round tables with the community and, and just kind of we're working on developing.

We're upgrading our website, which is gonna really modernize the way we can communicate online as well as help the lodges communicate to and from with each other as far as with the paperwork and things that we do to keep our organization going.

But, but we'll be launching a new website this November which will really help us get out into the community a little bit more and get a little bit more access.

- [Earl] Stotts admits another challenge is overcoming the idea that Masons are a secret society that most people don't have access to.

He says Masonry is like any other organization with particular symbols or codes, but generally speaking membership is open to anyone interested in becoming a better person.

- [Stotts] The only secrets of masonry are the modes of communication where one mason may know another mason.

So that are really the only secrets.

So there has been a lot of myths and bad stereotypes that have been created, not just with Prince Hall Mason, but with Masonry in general.

And that is, like you said, a tough part to overcome because people do not know the truth.

They, they hear a myth or a story and the story snowballs into what people think is the truth, but it's not.

A lot of things that are said about the masonry are not true.

A lot of information can be received online.

Most lodges, and there are several good sites that'll give you information on masonry and what is truly about, freemasonry.

And we're, we're about making good men better.

And that's really what it's about.

(hip hop music playing) - Milwaukee is one of the most segregated cities in the nation, and some will say the worst place to raise a black child.

But what's being done about it?

An emerging racial justice organization called the Redress movement will work with residents to build collective power to redress segregation in their neighborhoods.

Here to talk about the movement it's local historian and griot, Reggie Jackson.

Reggie, thanks for joining us.

- Yeah, it's my pleasure, James.

- So what exactly is the Redress movement and how would it mobilize residents?

- The Redress movement is designed to work in each of the three cities that we started to work in: Charlotte, Denver and Milwaukee, engaging residents that are concerned about passed policies that have led to you know, high-level segregation.

And we hear about the problem all the time so we really want to engage community members in solutions that can really redress the damage caused by segregation policies and practices whether those were practices from many years ago or current, you know ramifications of things that, that keep Milwaukee one of the most segregated communities in the country.

- So what do these cities all have in common?

- All of them have a history of segregation.

It looks a little bit different in each of the cities but some of the, the more prominent features of of segregation when people think about redlining was prevalent in all three of the cities but kind of the way that the demographics of each city was different really made segregation happen differently.

But all of them eventually had policies and practices that prevented mostly African-Americans for from living American dream by becoming homeowners.

- So Milwaukee is very unique in its own way.

What makes Milwaukee different from these other cities that, that will be part of the movement?

- Well, the, the, the, the difference the biggest difference in Milwaukee is kind of the demographics of the metropolitan area.

Looks quite a bit different here than it does in the other cities.

We actually have the whitest suburbs of any of the most highly segregated communities in the country.

So when you're looking at segregation policies and practices that played out over course of time, it kept blacks out of the suburbs.

Only 10% of blacks in Milwaukee County live outside the city of Milwaukee.

So when we're talking about segregation we're talking about within the city, but also within the surrounding suburbs and excerpts as well.

- Now you lived in Milwaukee most of your life, right?

How has Milwaukee not changed in the time that you've been here?

- Well, you know, Milwaukee hasn't changed in terms of residential segregation patterns.

It's been the same, it's been near the top of the list in most segregated metropolitan areas for decades.

There's been, you know, articles written for many many decades about a lack of black people in our suburban communities.

And so that's something that as I talk to people about it you know, and they say, "well, what's the solution to it?"

It's really hard to, to change the attitudes, the mindsets of people in the suburban communities that have made those places so unwelcoming for black people.

- So walk me through how this will work.

Like what, how do you mobilize residents who have been here and and probably get tired of hearing the same old same old all the time?

What makes this so different?

- So what, what we started with was to engage in some conversations with people that are interested in learning about what redress could possibly accomplish in Milwaukee.

So we reached out to people in the black community the Latinx community, and then some folks in the suburban communities, white, white people mostly in the suburban communities, and said, "listen these are some of the things we want to begin to bring people together to have conversations about."

And then ultimately what that leads to are what we're doing now, which are what we call Redress round tables.

Bringing people and organizations together that are talking about some of these topics that, you know some organizations that do work related to housing on a normal basis.

Bringing people into those spaces.

Getting familiar with people and organizations that are doing this work and saying, okay, we're are going to eventually set up committees from each of those communities that will work collaboratively to begin to foster changes in policies and practices.

Bring pressure on organizations that have, you know completed the process of creating segregated spaces but also organizations that are working to keep Milwaukee segregated.

Working with those organizations saying, "listen, you kind of broke it.

It's your responsibility to fix it."

- How do you, will you be bringing political leaders to as part of this conversation or is this gonna be strictly grassroots and you try to address it in that fashion?

- It, It's, it's really a grassroots movement.

We, we think that's the most effective method of really getting the voice of the community involved.

Obviously elected officials can have, you know, some sway in terms of maybe giving input to the organizations but we want those committees to really not be beholden to our elected officials at all.

That, that the voices of the community itself the solutions that the community comes up with will be free of, you know any political pressure at all.

- Now you remain optimistic.

Why is your optimistic so high still?

- Well, you know, I, I always tell people that I'm optimistic as long as people are doing the work.

You know, when people give up and stop trying to make changes happen, that's when when I kind of figure like, well, it's not worth it.

But I know that I've worked with a lot of people here over the last seven years or so as I've talked about segregation in Milwaukee and there are a lot of things that are being done to, to to work on the problem.

It's just, it's being done very quietly.

People don't know that these things are happening.

So I think Redress will bring many of those things out into the open that people weren't aware that were happening.

- How can someone find out about the organization and get involved?

What do they have to do?

- Well, you can go to our website, Redressmovement.org, you can find us on social media.

we're on Facebook, we're on LinkedIn, we're on Instagram.

So we're very easy to find.

And you can contact, you know, some of the local people in in Milwaukee Dynasty Ceasar is our local field senior field organizer, doing the work on the on the kind of grassroots level.

They can also contact me.

I'm a member of the, of the, the research team.

So I kind of do, my work is kind of national in scope but a lot of it is focused on Milwaukee.

We're very easy to find and we're, we're hoping that people come and join the movement and want to help out.

- Well Reggie, thanks a lot and thanks for remaining in the fight.

I appreciate it.

Thank you.

- Yeah, you're welcome.

Thanks for the opportunity, James.

- And before we close tonight, we have to congratulate one of Black Nouvea's creators, Liddie Collins, who's being inducted into the Milwaukee Press Club's Media Hall of Fame this month.

She joins fellow broadcast journalist and Milwaukee PBS alumna, Denise Callaway in the class this year.

Please remember, there is an election this month so it is extremely important that you go out and vote and help make a difference.

And that's our program for this month.

Don't forget to check us out on social media where you can find new stories, old episodes and more information on the stories we've covered.

For Black Nouveau, I'm Earl Arms.

Have a good evening.

(hip hop music) (music fades out)