Arts @ Large to hold gallery opening in honor of civil rights hero Vel Phillips
The event will be held Friday, April 20 at Arts @ Large, 908 S. 5th St., from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Arts @ Large will host an opening event for its Recognition & Re-ignition: A 50-year look at Milwaukee Youth, Leadership, and the Spirit of Protest gallery to honor Milwaukee’s civil rights heroes including Vel Phillips, who passed away earlier this week. The event will be held TOMORROW – Friday, April 20 at Arts @ Large, 908 S. 5th St., from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Alderman José G. Pérez encourages all community members to attend the event which is celebrating the significance of the fair housing marches in Milwaukee in 1968. Ms. Phillips, the iconic civil rights activist who authored the city’s Fair Housing Ordinance during her time on the Milwaukee Common Council, will be honored with a singing performance featuring third-graders from Anna F. Doerfler School. The event will also include a presentation recognizing Leesa Nelson and Lee McGhee, Jr.’s contributions to fair housing history and a youth chant and pop-up performance from high school students.
The Arts @ Large art gallery will feature a wide range of work from Escuela Verde, Anna F. Doerfler School, and Bay View High School students. The artwork features the history of the Milwaukee Fair Housing Marches from four perspectives: the lines, the words, the march, and the connections.
“Vel Phillips’ legacy and the history of the Fair Housing Marches are an integral part of Milwaukee’s history and identity,” Alderman Pérez said. “These Milwaukee Public School students have crafted beautiful artwork and performances that recognize the impact of civil rights leaders in our area while nodding to the significant challenges our community and our country still faces to create a more equitable society for everyone.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
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