Wauwatosa West High School AP African-American Studies students recently had the opportunity to participate in a rich, full-day field trip exploring Milwaukee's African-American history and culture.
On Thursday, March 26, the class partnered with MKE Roots, a local nonprofit organization focused on civic engagement and history education for Milwaukee students. Tour guide Adam Carr led the group through several significant points of interest throughout the city.
The day began at Cathedral Square Park, where a plaque commemorates the site where escaped slave Joshua Glover was jailed, and ultimately freed by Milwaukee locals, in the mid-1800s. From there, the group traveled down Walnut Street through the historic Bronzeville neighborhood, once a thriving cultural hub and the only historic downtown in Wisconsin to be demolished during Urban Renewal.
Students then took a walking tour along Historic Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, exploring the Black-owned businesses, restaurants, and community centers that make up this vibrant neighborhood. Stops included HoneyBee Sage & Apothecary, a café featuring locally made teas, honey, and artisan goods, and ThriveOn King, a dynamic community space home to small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and community members.
The group then visited America's Black Holocaust Museum, where students explored exhibits highlighting the depth and breadth of Black history and culture in Milwaukee and beyond. Students documented exhibits and gathered materials they will use as part of their final research project for the course.
Lunch was enjoyed at Daddy's Soul Food, a beloved local restaurant celebrating traditional soul food and Black entrepreneurship. The day concluded at the Black Historical Society & Museum, where founder Clayborn Benson III delivered a compelling presentation drawing on his personal history and extensive knowledge of Milwaukee. Students were then brought into the archives to examine rare historical artifacts, including materials related to Father James Groppi and the Fair Housing Marches in Milwaukee.
The experience gave students direct access to community organizers, local historians, and cultural institutions that bring the subject matter of their coursework to life. The knowledge and documentation gathered throughout the day will serve as a strong foundation for student's inquiry projects.
This experience connected classroom learning to living history and gave students a foundation of knowledge and inspiration they'll carry into their inquiry projects this semester. A huge thank you to MKE Roots, Adam Carr, Clayborn Benson III, and every organization that welcomed our students so warmly, and to teachers Michael Howard and Heidi Hegwood for making these connections and helping to bring this incredible experience to life for our students.