Wisconsin 2025-2026 Regular Session

Wisconsin Senate Bill SJR10 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
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4	4	2025 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 10
5	5	February 12, 2025 - Introduced by Senators DRAKE, L. JOHNSON, CARPENTER,
6	6	RATCLIFF, PFAFF, HABUSH SINYKIN, ROYS, WALL, WIRCH, DASSLER-ALFHEIM,
7	7	SPREITZER, HESSELBEIN, LARSON, SMITH and KEYESKI, cosponsored by
8	8	Representatives TAYLOR, ARNEY, HAYWOOD, STUBBS, MOORE OMOKUNDE,
9	9	MADISON, GOODWIN, RIVERA-WAGNER, SINICKI, MIRESSE, DESMIDT, KIRSCH,
10	10	SNODGRASS, EMERSON, SPAUDE, GUNDRUM, CRUZ, PHELPS, CLANCY, JOERS,
11	11	TENORIO, HONG, UDELL, BROWN, ROE, STROUD, PRADO, BARE, J. JACOBSON,
12	12	FITZGERALD, DOYLE, ORTIZ-VELEZ, SHEEHAN, MAYADEV, ALLEN, VINING,
13	13	ANDRACA, PALMERI, HYSELL, ANDERSON, JOHNSON, MCCARVILLE, NEUBAUER,
14	14	BILLINGS, SUBECK and MCGUIRE. Referred to Committee on Senate
15	15	Organization.
16	16	Relating to: proclaiming February 2025 as Black History Month.
17	17	Whereas, Black History Month provides a deliberate opportunity to reflect on
18	18	the common humanity underlying all people and to raise awareness and foster
19	19	respect for the heritage and contributions of people of African descent; and
20	20	Whereas, this year marks over 400 years since the arrival of enslaved Africans
21	21	in Virginia. The existence of Africans in North America can be traced back to 1525,
22	22	and through 1866 the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade is estimated to have ensnared
23	23	more than 12 million African people, with an estimated 10 million surviving the
24	24	unconscionable Middle Passage, landing in North America, the Caribbean, and
25	25	South America; and
26	26	Whereas, Wisconsin history first references African descendants in a speech
27	27	given in 1725 by a chief of the Illinois Indians, in which he said, Xa negro belonging
28	28	to Monsieur de BoisbriantY at Green Bay; and
29	29	Whereas, on February 12, 1926, noted Harvard scholar and historian Dr.
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45	45	Carter G. Woodson founded XNegro History Week,Y and since then the United
46	46	States has recognized first Negro History Week and then Black History Month and
47	47	celebrated the ethnic and racial diversity that enriches and strengthens our nation;
48	48	and
49	49	Whereas, both enslaved and free people of African descent have participated
50	50	in every aspect of America[s effort to secure, protect, and advance the cause of
51	51	freedom and civil rights, and have stories that are an inspiration to all citizens, that
52	52	reflect the triumph of the human spirit, and that offer the hopes of everyday people
53	53	to rise above both prejudice and circumstance and to build lives of dignity; and
54	54	Whereas, people of African descent or African Americans have made
55	55	measurable differences in their respective industries, such as:
56	56	1. Elisterine Clayton — a 100-year-old Milwaukee resident who, along with
57	57	her husband Powell Clayton, was a part of building the historic Halyard Park
58	58	community. Halyard Park is one of the longest-standing African-American middle
59	59	class residential neighborhoods within Milwaukee. Elisterine owned and operated
60	60	a series of grocery stores in underserved communities and ensured that residents
61	61	had access to healthy food options within their neighborhoods. She was a part of a
62	62	pioneering group that brought Black-owned banks, medical practices, and
63	63	businesses to the Bronzeville area.
64	64	2. Paul Higginbotham — the first African-American judge to serve on the
65	65	Wisconsin Court of Appeals. He was appointed to the court by Governor James
66	66	Doyle in 2003 and was subsequently elected to the court in 2005.
67	67	3. Marcia Anderson — a retired senior officer of the United States Army
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92	92	Reserve from Beloit, Wisconsin. The first African-American woman to become a
93	93	major general in the United States Army Reserve.
94	94	4. Dr. William Rogers — a historian and educator, who was an integral part of
95	95	the formation of the Black Radio Network, was an African studies educator, and
96	96	made significant contributions to the study of Black life, civil rights, and social
97	97	justice.
98	98	5. Anthony McGahee — a celebrated gospel musician, choir director, and
99	99	pillar of Milwaukee[s artistic and musical community. As the leader of XAnthony
100	100	McGahee and Praise Motivated,Y he has spent over 27 years inspiring audiences
101	101	with soul-stirring performances and a commitment to musical excellence.
102	102	McGahee is also a proud member of the renowned gospel group XRicky Dillard and
103	103	New G.Y Through his music ministry, he has not only uplifted congregations but
104	104	also created opportunities for local artists, mentored emerging talent, and brought
105	105	national attention to Milwaukee[s vibrant gospel music scene. His work continues
106	106	to leave a lasting impact on the city[s cultural landscape.
107	107	6. Shakita LaGrant-McClain — the executive director of the Milwaukee
108	108	County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), oversees a $400
109	109	million budget and more than 700 employees. She began her tenure with DHHS in
110	110	2009 and has held various roles, including program coordinator for the Disability
111	111	Resource Center. In May 2020, she was appointed interim director of DHHS and
112	112	the Department on Aging, focusing on improving service accessibility. Her
113	113	leadership emphasizes racial equity and community connection, exemplified by
114	114	initiatives like building 120 homes in the King Park area to promote BIPOC
115	115	homeownership.
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141	141	7. Victor and Dawn Barnett — the co-executive directors of the Running
142	142	Rebels Community Organization in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1980, at the age of
143	143	19, Victor founded Running Rebels to provide local youth with positive alternatives
144	144	to gang involvement, crime, and violence. He began by organizing basketball games
145	145	to engage and mentor young people, steering them toward constructive activities.
146	146	Dawn Barnett joined the organization in 1996 after learning about Victor[s work
147	147	and feeling compelled to contribute. She left her job in restaurant management to
148	148	become a community organizer with Running Rebels. Dawn and Victor later
149	149	married and have since worked together to expand the organization[s reach and
150	150	impact. Under their leadership, Running Rebels has grown to serve over 2,500
151	151	youth annually, offering programs that include mentoring, education, and
152	152	community service.
153	153	8. Dr. Samuel Coleman — a dedicated educator and advocate for equity,
154	154	currently serving as the assistant superintendent of instruction for the Oshkosh
155	155	Area School District in Wisconsin. Born and raised on Milwaukee[s North Side, Dr.
156	156	Coleman has devoted over 14 years to better public education and the roles of
157	157	government, focusing on advancing equity through advocacy, policy analysis,
158	158	strategic planning, and leadership development.
159	159	9. Gloria Rogers — a dedicated community leader and advocate in Milwaukee,
160	160	Wisconsin. She has been actively involved in various initiatives aimed at improving
161	161	the lives of residents in her community. Gloria[s work focuses on promoting social
162	162	justice, education, and economic development. She has collaborated with local
163	163	organizations to address issues such as affordable housing, access to quality
164	164	education, and workforce development. Her commitment to service has made a
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190	190	significant impact on the Milwaukee community, fostering positive change and
191	191	empowering individuals to reach their full potential.
192	192	10. Minnie L. Sims — a cherished elder in the Milwaukee community, known
193	193	for her steadfast dedication to service, mentorship, and faith. Throughout her life,
194	194	Ms. Sims has been a beacon of wisdom, guiding and inspiring those around her with
195	195	her kindheartedness and resilience. She has contributed greatly to her community
196	196	through decades of active involvement in church ministries, local initiatives, and
197	197	mentorship programs, particularly those supporting youth and families.
198	198	11. Dr. Jeanette Mitchell — a passionate developer of leaders in the Greater
199	199	Milwaukee Community. She founded the African American Leadership Alliance ]
200	200	Milwaukee (AALAM), the African American Leadership Program (AALP), and the
201	201	Neighborhood Leadership Institute (NLI). She worked for decades in the corporate
202	202	sector for AT&T, the nonprofit sector for the Helen Bader Foundation (currently
203	203	Bader Philanthropies), and as an elected official on the Milwaukee School Board,
204	204	where she served for eight years, including three terms as president.
205	205	12. Fred Reed — a key member of the NAACP Youth Council Commandos,
206	206	Reed was instrumental in the first Black Voter Registration Campaign in
207	207	Milwaukee. Throughout his distinguished career, he worked with five Wisconsin
208	208	governors and countless federal, state, and local leaders to advance civil rights,
209	209	workforce development education, and financial literacy. Notably he has made
210	210	national history and played several roles such as in shaping the framework for
211	211	Wisconsin[s Americans with Disabilities Act, and he worked for 25 years in the
212	212	Department of Financial Institutions. Reed has been honored with numerous
213	213	awards, including the ACLU[s Lifetime Achievement Award and the Milwaukee
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239	239	Times Black Excellence Award, for his unwavering dedication to justice, equality,
240	240	and community empowerment.
241	241	13. Anna Mae Robertson, — a pioneering World War II veteran, served in the
242	242	6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-female African-American
243	243	unit deployed overseas during the war. Born in Osceola, Arkansas, she enlisted in
244	244	the Women[s Army Corps in 1943 and was stationed in Europe, where her battalion
245	245	cleared a crucial backlog of mail for soldiers, processing over 17 million pieces in
246	246	record time. Robertson also worked as a hospital aide while overseas. After
247	247	returning to the United States in 1946, she lived in Milwaukee, working as a
248	248	nurse[s aide and later as a homemaker for her eight children. For decades, the
249	249	contributions of the 6888th were overlooked, but in 2022, Robertson was awarded
250	250	the Congressional Gold Medal alongside her fellow battalion members. Her legacy
251	251	continues to inspire, especially through her granddaughters, who have followed her
252	252	nursing path.
253	253	14. Dr. Dora L. Clayton-Jones — a pioneering pediatric nurse practitioner
254	254	and esteemed academic leader who has dedicated over 25 years to improving health
255	255	care for youth, particularly those with sickle cell disease. She made history as the
256	256	first African-American pediatric nurse practitioner in Wisconsin to be inducted into
257	257	the Academy of Nursing and the first to achieve tenure at Marquette University. A
258	258	passionate advocate for health equity, Dr. Clayton-Jones actively contributes to
259	259	research through the Delta Research and Educational Foundation[s 22 Researchers
260	260	workgroup and works to eliminate health disparities in underserved communities.
261	261	Initiated into Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., in 2017, she mentors others and
262	262	leads by example, creating opportunities for future generations of leaders. Her
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288	288	commitment to service and scholarship, combined with her dedication to patient
289	289	care, has earned her numerous accolades and continues to inspire her colleagues
290	290	and the broader community; now, therefore, be it
291	291	Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, That the Wisconsin
292	292	Legislature recognizes February 2025 as Black History Month and extends
293	293	appreciation to the above-named persons for their contributions to the state of
294	294	Wisconsin, the country, and their fellow citizens.
295	295	(END)
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