March On Milwaukee

Beginning on August 28, 1967, the Milwaukee NAACP Youth Council/Commandos, Father James Groppi, Alderperson Vel Phillips, and a host of activists and community members marched for over 200 consecutive nights to demand an end to housing segregation.

In many ways, the marches signify the pinnacle of the Black Freedom Movement and activism in the city. In fact, these marches are remembered as Milwaukee’s contribution to the story of Civil Rights in America and even helped inspire federal legislation on fair housing.

Unfortunately, many students in Wisconsin have never heard this story of the courage and persistence of teenagers during the Civil Rights Movement. This site is intended to serve as a resource for educators who are seeking to bring the Marches On Milwaukee into their classrooms and communities. You will find a range of curricular materials on this page, and we invite you to email us your own. Lessons are available here and here, or use our viewing guides and reading guides. Visit the "This Week in Milwaukee" page for a short document-based exercise for every day of the year to learn what was happening each day of the marches in 1967-1968. For more information on the Marches On Milwaukee, see our Resources page.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ONLINE LEARNING: We have created a guide to shorter, simplified activities that can easily be assigned for at-home learning during the school closures due to Coronavirus. To access these lesson ideas, click here.