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WUWM's Teran Powell reports on race and ethnicity in southeastern Wisconsin.

Milwaukee Urban League Celebrates A Century Of Service To The Community

Milwaukee Urban League
The Milwaukee Urban League and Vincent High School students at the Graduate To Employment event at the high school.

The Milwaukee Urban League is celebrating 100 years of service to the community.

The local chapter is an affiliate of the National Urban League that began in 1910. At the time, millions of African-Americans were migrating north from southern states in search of greater opportunities.

The League's mission is: "Empowering Communities. Changing Lives."

Credit Milwaukee Urban League
Dr. Eve Hall speaking at the GTE completion ceremony at Vincent High School.

Dr. Eve Hall is president and CEO of the local chapter. She's headed the organization since 2017 and calls it an honor to be at the helm as it reaches this milestone. 

"I'm proud of the way in the last three years we've been able to galvanize this community," Hall says.

Hall reflects on the Black & White Ball and the Equal Opportunity Day Luncheon as gatherings that the Urban League is part of, which continue to bring diverse groups of people together. Their goal: to improve the lives of people in the community.

Credit Milwaukee Urban League
(From left to right) North Division High School principal Keith Carrington, North Division students, Dr. Eve Hall and Milwaukee Public School superintendent Keith Posley.

"It's that energy, when I look out in the audience, it's just wow, you know. If all of us would do all that we could do in the roles that we each played, what a difference we could make in this city," Hall says.

Hall says she believes there will always be a need for the work the Urban League does in Milwaukee.

"We're an organization, nationally, that focuses on research and is continuously looking at the state of black America and where we are."

She says she thinks of the Milwaukee chapter as a "think tank" of its own, providing statistics, strategies and solutions to mobilize and bring together diverse perspectives.

"So when you look at it in that context versus just addressing inequities or needs, it helps in terms of sustainability of who we are. And because we're part of a national network, the voice that we hold is so important and I think should never be lost."

Do you have a question about race in Milwaukee that you'd like WUWM's Teran Powell to explore? Submit it below.

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Teran is WUWM's race & ethnicity reporter.
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