Milwaukee’s Bronzeville neighborhood is celebrating African-American culture, history, art, commerce, and entertainment this week, August 6-13, 2022.
Families can take trolley rides through Bronzeville to experience the neighborhood in a whole new way.
Trolley rides will take place Thursday, August 11. There are two separate time slots (2:00-3:00 and 5:00-6:00), and the trolley will pick up and depart from American’s Black Holocaust Museum.
The Harambree Back to School Block Party will take place Friday, August 12th from 3:00-6:00 p.m. on Vel R. Phillips Ave. between Wright St. & Meinecke. It will feature music, food, and entertainment.
Bronzeville is bordered by North Avenue on the north, State Street on the south, Third Street on the east, and 12th Street on the west. It’s located in the 6th District of Milwaukee Walnut Street has historically been the economic hub of the neighborhood, and surrounding neighborhoods like Harambree and Halyard Park offer diverse dining and shopping opportunities.
Between 1910 and 1950, African-American communities emerged in northern cities due to emerging employment opportunities, southern segregation, and Jim Crow laws that prompted the Great Northern Migration.
Bronzeville gave rise to nightclubs such as Metropole Club and the Moon Glow featuring performances by Billie Holliday, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, and Nat “King” Cole, and more.
Today the main thoroughfare, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, is lined with African American-owned businesses.
The Bronzeville Cultural and Entertainment District is a City of Milwaukee redevelopment initiative inspired by Milwaukee’s original Bronzeville District.
Calie Herbst, Editor-in-Chief of Milwaukee With Kids, has spent over a decade combining her experiences as a parent of three to create a hub for Milwaukee’s family adventures.
Her decade-long teaching career in Milwaukee Public Schools and academic background, including a Master’s in Teaching from Marquette University and dual B.A.s in Sociology and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, fuel her passion for inclusive and engaging family content.
Calie is also a recognized voice in local media, contributing to WISN Channel 12 News, WTMJ Wisconsin Morning News, Fox 6’s Real Milwaukee, and B93.3.
Discover more about Calie’s journey and editorial approach on her About Page and Editorial Policy Page.
