Project Milwaukee: Black & White

Parklawn Assembly of God Church in Sherman Park welcomed the neighborhood's young people into the Sanctuary on Friday night to share their thoughts, fears, and concerns about the recent rioting in that neighborhood. Bishop Walter Harvey says Friday's Listening Session -- facilitated by Urban Underground -- is the first in what will be a series of opportunities to learn from the community,.

Effects of long term discrimination in Milwaukee rose to a boiling point in the 1960s. The period included a nearly decades long push for fair housing. That struggle was interrupted in 1967 by a violent disturbance which some people still refer to today as the Milwaukee "riot."

In the early 1960s, the local economy was booming. But a current of segregation flowed just beneath the tide of prosperity. Exclusionary practices were common.

Two members of Milwaukee's African-American community say the George Zimmerman verdict has a stark takeaway for black male teens.

A Madison writer helps a remarkable Milwaukee woman tell her story of a lifetime’s search for justice.

WUWM's Project Milwaukee: Black and White forum took place on Wednesday, June 17th, 2009 at the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory - The Domes.

The panel of experts addressed race relations and the impact of segregation in Milwaukee from a variety of perspectives: education, business, social services, and unemployment.

Afterwards, roundtable conversations focused on exploring ways to improve and build a more integrated community.

In the second part of our "Project Milwaukee: Black & White" forum on race relations, we heard from the audience members present at the Mitchell Park Domes. WUWM’s Morning Edition host Bob Bach moderated the discussion.

Today, we conclude our series about race relations. Projects Milwaukee culminated in a forum on the topic Wednesday evening at the Mitchell Park Domes. As part of the discussion, audience members brainstormed at their tables about barriers to racial harmony and who's responsible for change. Here are some conclusions reached, conveyed by Yvette Mitchell, Paul Schneider, Steven Hunter, Gina Green Harris, Kori Schneider, Omar Barbarana and Mary DeNoble.

Our series about race relations concludes today on WUWM. Project Milwaukee: Black and White culminated in a panel discussion earlier this week at the Mitchell Park Domes. Here's a snapshot of the comments our panel members offered. Our panelists were: Mark Levine of UW-Milwaukee, Tim Sheehy, head of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, Enrique Figueroa, Director of the Roberto Hernandez Center at UWM, Howard Fuller of Marquette University and Paula Penebaker, President and CEO of the YWCA of Greater Milwaukee.

This segment of Project Milwaukee: Black and White focuses on what has been a flash point at times: the relationship between the police department and the community. While many officers have devoted their careers and even sacrificed their lives to keep residents safe and uphold the law, there have been instances of police abusing citizens, particularly African Americans. Beginning in the 1960s, activists increasingly brought such cases to light, demanding justice and change. WUWM’s Marge Pitrof reports.

Our feature on volunteers' perceptions of race relations in Milwaukee was produced by Stephanie Lecci. It includes voices of members of Milwaukee’s Rotaract chapter and Walnut Way Conservation Corp employees.