AJR17,1,52 Whereas, Americans have recognized Black history annually since 1926, first
3as "Negro History Week" and later as "Black History Month," and the Wisconsin
4legislature has commemorated February as Black History Month to honor the lives
5and contributions of Wisconsin African American citizens; and

AJR17,1,126 Whereas, Annette Polly Williams saw a need that was not being fulfilled in her
7community so she ran for state assembly in 1979, beginning a storied political career
8that would last 30 years, making her the longest-serving woman legislator in the
9state's history. Ms. Williams devoted her political career to ensuring all children
10received access to a good education. Out of her passion and commitment for
11education, she became the author and mother of the nation's first true educational
12parental choice legislation; and

AJR17,2,613 Whereas, Antonio Riley is the first African American to be appointed the
14executive director of the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority.
15Mr. Riley is known for his creative and strong leadership under which WHEDA

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1focused its energies on trying to capture the inherent relationship between housing
2and economic development by creating new strategies that increase jobs and make
3housing more affordable and promoting policies to renew and invigorate depressed
4neighborhoods. President Obama recently appointed Mr. Riley as the regional
5administrator for the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development for six
6midwestern states, including Wisconsin; and

AJR17,2,127 Whereas, Hattie Daniels-Rush has dedicated her life to service, working for
8Milwaukee Public Schools for 25 years and serving as an advisor to President George
9W. Bush's faith-based initiative, as a commissioner on the National Commission on
10Presidential Scholars, and as the community relations director for Milwaukee
11County. Her guidance as program director for the Holy Redeemer Schools and social
12service institutions has touched many lives; and

AJR17,2,2013 Whereas, James Hall Jr. was elected president of the NAACP Milwaukee
14chapter in November 2010. Mr. Hall has been a greatly respected attorney in the
15Milwaukee area for many years, focusing on employment and civil rights law. He has
16represented individuals and groups of employees in connection with employment
17issues and has negotiated several comprehensive settlements in those matters. Mr.
18Hall has also represented clients in labor relations matters. He was a founder of 100
19Black Men of Milwaukee and is on the board of directors for the ACLU of Wisconsin;
20and

AJR17,3,721 Whereas, Fannie Frazier Hicklin was a theatre department faculty member at
22UW-Whitewater from 1964 to 1988. As the first African American faculty member
23on campus, she directed over 50 theatre productions, and helped to establish
24Summer Theatre in the Park and the Touring Children's Theatre programs. In 1996
25the UW-Whitewater named the campus theatre/dance building the "Hicklin Studio

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1Theatre." Ms. Hicklin received her bachelor's degree from Talladega College. She
2later taught in Mississippi, Alabama, and North Carolina and South Carolina before
3moving to Michigan where she earned her master's degree in speech and theatre
4from the University of Michigan. Ms. Hicklin has been an active member of Zeta Phi
5Eta and with the Wisconsin State Historical Society. She has also been an active
6member of First Congregational Church. She has long been dedicated to her city,
7state, and community; and

AJR17,3,138 Whereas, Reverend Mark Fossie and Sheila Fossie have for years volunteered
9consulting and mentoring African Americans interested in pursuing careers in the
10areas of mental health and alcohol and other drug abuse (AODA) treatment.
11Reverend Fossie is the president, co-founder, and CEO of M&S Clinical Services, a
12nonprofit mental health AODA facility providing central intake and mental health
13and AODA treatment in the African American community for the past 11 years; and

AJR17,3,1814 Whereas, many African Americans have served in the legislature, including
15former senators Monroe Swan, Gwendolynne Moore, and Gary George and former
16representatives Lucien Palmer, Le Roy Simmons, Isaac Coggs, Cecil B. Brown,
17Walton Bryan Stewart, Raymond Lee Lathan, Lloyd Barbee, Walter L. Ward, Marcia
18P. Coggs, Johnnie Morris-Tatum, and Antonio Riley; now, therefore, be it