- Open Housing164(100%)
Alderwoman Vel Phillips began the fight for open housing in 1962 when she introduced the Phillips Housing Ordinance--a bill that outlawed housing discrimination--to her peers in the Milwaukee Common Council. Milwaukee already had a fair housing law, but it was very weak and it did not cover all housing within the city. The council, however, defeated the bill 18-1 with Phillips' vote being the only one in favor. After three more failed attempts at getting the bill passed, the Milwaukee NAACP Youth Council offered their help to Phillips. In the spring of 1967, the Youth Council began picketing the homes of some of the aldermen who had voted against the fair housing bill. more...