The Central Library for the Milwaukee Public Library System hosted a screening of the program, Vel Phillips: Dream Big Dreams on Tuesday, February 16. Produced by Wisconsin Public Television, in collaboration with Milwaukee Public Television, the documentary explored the life of a remarkable Milwaukee woman.
Vel Phillips, Milwaukee’s first African American and first female alderman, rose to prominence as one of Wisconsin’s great civil rights activists as well as being the first African American judge in Wisconsin. She was also the first woman in the nation to hold executive office in state government.
The film tells the story of the struggles Phillips undertook to build a better community, and how she rose to prominence as one of Wisconsin’s great civil rights activists. Boasting a list of “firsts” as part of her enduring legacy.
More than just a documentary, Vel Phillips: Dream Big Dreams was designed as a far-reaching project to engage communities in conversations about race relations in the 21st century.
Dozens of residents attended the screening, and stayed for a discussion of the film that followed.
