Frederica Freyberg:
A Wisconsin icon of many firsts has made history again. The Vel Phillips statue was unveiled at the state Capitol in recent days. The first Black woman to be so memorialized. Phillips was the first woman and Black person elected to the Milwaukee Common Council. The first Black woman elected as a judge and as the Wisconsin Secretary of State. A civil rights pioneer and powerhouse, Phillips advocated for fair housing, education, and women’s equality. Phillips died in 2018.