Vel R. Phillips: Milwaukee County leaders remember icon's legacy

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee County leaders remembered the legacy and life of Vel R. Phillips on Friday, Feb. 16.

Phillips would have turned 100 years old on Feb. 18. County Executive David Crowley and County Board Chair Marcelia Nicholson celebrated the local icon during Black History Month at the courthouse that now bears her name.

"Today we have the great honor of celebrating a life well lived, a legacy of courage and compassion that continues to live on," Nicholson said. "The great legacy of Vel Phillips lives on in Wisconsin, in Milwaukee, this county courthouse, and within each of us."

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Phillips was the first woman and first African American elected to the Milwaukee Common Council. She was also the first female judge in Milwaukee County, and the first person of color elected Wisconsin Secretary of State. 

Last year, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson signed a resolution to approve funding for a new public plaza to be named after Phillips.

Phillips also worked to promote fair housing laws and combat racial discrimination among landlords and real estate agents in Milwaukee, ensuring people of color have equal access to housing.