MILWAUKEE — Businesses in Milwaukee’s Bronzeville community said they appreciate Mayor Cavalier Johnson used his speech on the main stage at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) to put the neighborhood, just north of Downtown, in the national spotlight.
What You Need To Know
- Businesses in Milwaukee’s Bronzeville community said they appreciate Mayor Cavalier Johnson used his speech on the main stage at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) to put the neighborhood in the national spotlight
- Johnson spoke Wednesday evening about infrastructure investments from the Biden Administration, and how they’re helping the city. He described how 60 years ago, the construction of interstates 94 and 43 ripped thriving Black and Brown communities apart, and displaced families as homes and businesses were torn down for the road projects
- President Joe Biden visited Milwaukee in March to announce a grant worth more than $36 million from the Reconnecting Communities Program to rebuild 6th Street through Downtown, Bronzeville and several other nearby neighborhoods. Johnson said it will allow for more green space, bike paths and walkable streets
- Businesses such as Pepper Pot Jamaican Cuisine and Bronzeville Collective MKE hope to be a part of the neighborhood’s continued growth
Johnson spoke Wednesday evening about infrastructure investments from the Biden Administration, and how they’re helping the city. He described how 60 years ago, the construction of interstates 94 and 43 ripped thriving Black and Brown communities apart, and displaced families as homes and businesses were torn down for the road projects.
“Homes destroyed and businesses shuttered all for a quicker commute,” Johnson said as he addressed the crowd at the DNC. “Under Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, we’re bringing Bronzeville back.”
President Joe Biden visited Milwaukee in March to announce a grant worth more than $36 million from the Reconnecting Communities Program to rebuild 6th Street through Downtown, Bronzeville and several other nearby neighborhoods. Johnson said it will allow for more green space, bike paths and walkable streets.
Dwight Jackson is the owner of Pepper Pot Jamaican Cuisine on North Doctor M.L.K Jr. Drive in Bronzeville.
(Spectrum News 1/Phillip Boudreaux)
Jackson said he purposefully moved his business to this neighborhood two and half years ago, because of the area’s strong history and rebirth.
“We came from a very small takeout location, to a very warm sit down [and] entertaining space,” Jackson said. “When I first came here, Bronzeville was not as it is today. It has grown to be way better than when I first saw it when I came.”
Just down the street, Lilo Allen is the co-founder of the Bronzeville Collective MKE and owner of Papyrus and Charms. She said she and her team chose this space because they wanted to be a part of Bronzeville’s continued growth.
“When we first opened almost six years ago, we didn’t have all of these businesses,” Allen said. “We are seeing local leadership create these wonderful opportunities through the African American Chamber of Commerce and King Drive BID. They are offering up these opportunities to small business owners to come in, and we are seeing a renaissance of sorts in the neighborhood, and I am very happy about it.”
Lilo Allen is the co-founder of the Bronzeville Collective MKE and owner of Papyrus and Charms. (Spectrum News 1/Phillip Boudreaux)
Allen said it’s important that Wisconsinites, and people from around the country, know Milwaukee’s Bronzeville neighborhood is thriving.
“We have so much newness, so much culture and also so much history that folks can tap into, and I am happy that [Johnson] was very intentional about naming us, because this is a home for lots of artists, business owners and people who just love this neighborhood,” Allen said.
Jackson said a revitalized Bronzeville is vital for strengthening the City of Milwaukee as a whole.
“A lot of small businesses and Black businesses are showcased here,” Jackson said. “It’s a wonderful thing when you look around and you see other people being successful and realize that can be you.”
Dwight Jackson is the owner of Pepper Pot Jamaican Cuisine on North Doctor M.L.K Jr. Drive in Bronzeville. (Spectrum News 1/Phillip Boudreaux)
In 2022, Bronzeville was recognized by the New York Times as one of the 52 places to travel for a changed world.
On Thursday, Milwaukee Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs released the following statement:
“Last night, as part of the Democratic National Convention, Mayor Cavalier Johnson spoke to the revitalization that has taken place in the Bronzeville Cultural and Entertainment District, and noted the important role that federal support, including from the Biden-Harris administration’s infrastructure bill, has played in the continued growth of the area.
“I always love when Bronzeville is at the forefront of national discussions as it was last night. When this redevelopment endeavor was started nearly 20 years ago, I am certain no one involved would have guessed that Bronzeville would be mentioned during an event like the DNC, or listed as a top place to visit by the New York Times. It is a true testament to the countless hours that have been spent working to revitalize this area by elected officials, city staff, developers, local businesses, community stakeholders and residents in the Harambee and Halyard Park neighborhoods.
“We still have work to do in Bronzeville, but it is clear that the momentum is building, and I have no doubt that many more within our city, state, and nation will continue to see Bronzeville for the world-class arts, culture, and entertainment hub it is.”
