Vel Phillips and James Groppi: The Fight For Fair Housing

[lively string music] [upbeat guitar music] – Narrator: In the 1960s, Milwaukee was divided.

The Black community lived in the north, the white in the south.

The 16th Street Viaduct was the bridge that connected the two communities, but more than just a river separated them.

Things were getting tense.

The inner core was falling apart and families were left with few options.

The Black community was hurting.

Something had to give.

[explosion] Two people bravely stepped up to lead the way.

Vel Phillips and Father James Groppi were an unlikely pair of heroes.

Vel’s story is a tale of firsts.

She became the first African-American woman to become a Milwaukee alderwoman and to introduce a fair housing law.

– Listen, I just didn’t see why I should not be able to live anywhere in the city that I could afford to live.

– James Groppi put himself through seminary school driving buses.

While few others bothered to listen to the troubles of the inner core, this bus driver lent an ear.

The words of the people went straight to his heart.

– When someone Black came to me and said “Look, Father, they won’t rent to me beyond 27th Street,” at that time, what did you want me to do as a white priest in an inner city parish?

No, that was my fight.

– He was not that man who kindled the fire.

He was the one who kept the lid on it.

That’s the reason Milwaukee didn’t burn.

– Father Groppi joined the struggle for Civil Rights in Milwaukee.

Their weapons weren’t bullets or bombs.

They fought by marching, a lot of marching.

The two started with big steps.

Vel proposed a new city-wide fair housing law, but it was rejected on a 20 to 1 vote.

Father Groppi became the NAACP Youth Council Advisor.

The group picketed white-only establishments, held prayer vigils, and sang Christmas carols to those who didn’t think they’d make good neighbors.

In the summer of ’67, cities all over the country, including Milwaukee, had violent riots.

The streets seemed too dangerous for anyone, anywhere.

On August 28, 1967, Father Groppi led the first small group of marchers through thousands of hostile people.

Groppi announced: – We’ll never stop until we get complete human dignity.

– We’re gonna get fair housing legislation in the City of Milwaukee.

We’re gonna walk till our feet are tired.

Then we’re gonna walk on our ankles, and on our knees.

[applause] – What do we want?

– Freedom!

– When do we want it?

– Now!

– What do we want?

– Equality!

– For 200 days, they marched through angry crowds, tear gas, and violent outbreaks.

The marchers’ dedication to their cause was stronger than all of these.

– Equality!

– Martin Luther King, Jr., sent a telegram to Father Groppi.

“You are demonstrating that it is possible “to be militant and powerful “without destroying life or property.

Please know that you have my support and prayers.”

In 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination brought together Blacks and whites.

It was time.

In Washington, D.C., President Lyndon Johnson signed a national Fair Housing Law so that people could live where they want to live.

After that, the City of Milwaukee passed Vel Phillips’ Fair Housing Law, too.

[upbeat guitar music] – Phillips: It took a long time simply because it was new, it was controversial, it was political, and it was– just difficult, but we did it.

If we just go with the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution, we got everything to work with.

– After years of struggle by the people of Milwaukee, the city was finally starting to come together.

I’m gonna keep on walking Keep on talking Marching down to freedom land