August 8, 1967

Clifford McKissick was buried Monday and adults urged the Negro community to mark his death as a symbol and a rallying point.

Boys' Club member killed by police during Milwaukee riot.

Milwaukee Journal, August 8, 1967

8/8/1967

Two buglers from the Milwaukee Boys' club played taps as the youth's coffin was lowered slowly into a grave at Forest Home cemetery.

McKissick, 18, was shot and killed by police at his back door Wednesday night after, they said, he ignored their order to halt. He and three other youths threw fire bombs at the Badger Paint store, 2767 N. Teutonia av., police said.

Charging that McKissick's death was caused by "trigger happy" police, Father James E. Groppi drew vocal approval when he told the 500 persons at McKissick's funeral:

"We have here a reason for all of us to get involved. One of our black brothers was killed. He was killed unnecessarily and irresponsibly."

Near Paint Store

Father Groppi, adviser to Milwaukee NAACP Youth Council and an assistant pastor at St. Boniface Catholic church, was one of several clergymen who spoke at the services at Williams Temple Church of God in Christ, 2753 N. Teutonia av., two doors south of the paint store.

"In my judgment and in the judgment of others who witnessed this wild shooting, there need not be a funeral today," Father Groppi told the mourners. "It was a wild and irresponsible use of firearms.

"Don't let his death be in vain. We need action. We want a federal investigation of what went on that night. Otherwise we might as well all have stayed home."

Father Groppi was supported in his demand for an investigation by another white priest, Father Paul Yaroch, assistant pastor of St. Elizabeth's Catholic church.

"An innocent young life has been snuffed out of our midst for no reason, from a legal point of view," he said from the church's pulpit.

"Symbol for Negroes"

Wilbur Davis, director of the La Varnway unit of the Boys' club, said McKissick's death should be regarded as a symbol for Negroes to work for better understanding and equality.

McKissick, of 2754 N. 15th st., worked as a student aide for the club's "Project Summer," conducted down the street from his home. He was a sophomore at Whitewater State university.

Neighbors, friends and clergymen gave testimony to the youth's character. Their remarks were interrupted by shouts of "amen" and "hallelujah" from the crowd. Every seat in the church was filled and people lined the walls and packed into doorways.

The youth's mother, Mrs. A. J. McKissick, wailed and sobbed when she saw the casket.

"Oh, my son; Oh Clifford; that's my boy in there," she cried. Raising her arms and looking toward the sky when she left the church, Mrs. McKissick called:

"Oh, Jesus, were you fixin' for me? Oh Lord, today look down on this world."

URL for Document: https://www.marquette.edu/cgi-bin/cuap/db.cgi?uid=default&ID=2544&view=Search&mh=1 Children in Urban America Project, Marquette University.