Wauwatosa Exhibit Documents Milwaukee Open Housing Marches

WAUWATOSA, WI — Take a look at what it was like 50 years ago during Milwaukee's open housing marches through an exhibit on display through July 23.

The exhibit, titled "Crossing the Line" is on display at the Little Red Store, 7720 Harwood Ave. and made possible through the Wauwatosa Historical Society.

The traveling exhibit, called "Crossing the Line: The Fair Housing Marches of 1967-1968," it reproduces photographs and documents from the Society's collection in Madison.

Its eight panels examine the practices and prejudices that led to segregation in Milwaukee and chronicle the school desegregation and fair housing movements of the 1960s.

The traveling display has been created to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Milwaukee's fair housing marches.

Milwaukee's Marches

On August 28, 1967 more than 200 members of the Milwaukee NAAC Youth Council led by Father James Groppi crossed Milwaukee's 16th St. bridge from the black neighborhoods in the city's "Inner Core" to the white neighborhoods on the city's south side as a protest against segregation and unfair housing practices.

The next night, the marchers were confronted by 13,000 white residents. The police were overwhelmed as the mob pushed toward the marchers. Battered but undaunted, when the marchers returned to their headquarters, they found it on fire.

The following night, Mayor Henry Maier prohibited nighttime marches. The marches would continue the protest marches for 200 consecutive nights.

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