DREAM BIG DREAMS

In honor of Black History Month Wisconsin Public TV reran a special I had missed in previous years about a famous Wisconsinite and it wasn't a state's son but rather a state's daughter, Velvalea (Vel) Rodgers Phillips from Milwaukee's south side. This bright articulate activist was raised to be a lady-to  not smoke, drink nor speak loudly.  As a winner of a high school forensic competition she won a full scholarship and chose Howard University, one of the leading all black higher institutions. After graduation, she returned to Milwaukee where she met her future husband, Dale Phillips, at a party. Dale proposed to Vel after four dates. After their marriage they both attended UW-Madison law school ('51) where they met resistance because of their skin color in student housing. None the less, they persevered and became the first African American couple to pass the Wisconsin bar.

The Phillips opened up a practice together back in Milwaukee. Mrs. Phillips decided to run for city council where she kept her sex and race quiet by not putting a photo on her campaign literature distributed to the white half part of her district. Constituents assumed from her nickname she was male, and her last name shared no clues as to ethnicity. Another secret she hid was she expecting her first child. She won the council seat as not only the first Black woman but as the first 'pregnant' alderman. Later on she was selected to the Democratic executive committee as another first as a first African American woman. 

Focusing her interest on civil rights issues in Milwaukee, one of the most segregated cities of the U.S., lines might have been blurring for the African American community as to work and schooling but  housing was a different issue.  In1962 Phillips took on devising open housing legislation, a landmark ordinance for equal opportunity to all persons with this fair housing law. 5 years in a row it was rejected. Another strategy in '67 was marching. The 16th St Bridge March demanded the right to live where you want to live and its marchers were met with racial slurs, thrown bottles and body fluids in addition to police using tear gas. Middle class black Vel Phillips choose to participate and march. 200 days of marches for open housing continued. Federal legislation ensued, the Civil Rights Act of 1968 Fair Housing finally demanded equality. 

Vel Phillips served 15 years as alderman. Then, in 1971 a call came from the state's Governor Lucy asked for Phillips appointment as a Children's court judge as the city's first black city judge. She loved this job to help African American children in the courts.

In 1978 she became Secretary of State being the first African American citizen with this office across the U.S. Unfortunately accepting honorarium 'speaking' fees tainted her office even if she had donated the proceeds towards black community endeavors.

Dale Phillips

In 1988 Phillips entertained the possibility to run for Congress but unfortunately before she could run, her husband Dale suffered a heart attack and died. Phillips was so devastated she abandoned this political aspiration. Her husband had always been her greatest supporter as he was the "Mr. Mom" who had taken care of their 2 boys and always been her toughest critic but always had encouraged her endeavors... 

Gwen Moore

Slowly Vel Phillips returned to the fight for equity and justice in the political scene and in 2004 chaired the election of Gwen Moore for the House of Representatives who not only was the first woman to represent her district but also became Wisconsin's first African American congresswoman.

Vel Phillips, Wisconsin's state daughter, truly is a lady of many firsts in a vicious white male political arena. She received an honorary degree from Marquette and UW recipient as a distinguished alumni.  Her activism continues as she has served on many boards including The Black Holocaust Museum and Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and most importantly a foundation that bears her name whose mission is "to help establish equality and opportunity for minorities through social justice, education, equal housing opportunities, and jobs." 

As her mother always told her "If you're going to dream, you might as well dream big dreams." Vel Phillips has indeed followed her Mother's advice and we are all the better for it.