New downtown Milwaukee memorial honors life of civil rights leader Vel R. Phillips
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A new piece of public artwork in downtown Milwaukee was officially unveiled Friday morning, Aug. 21.
It stands in Vel R. Phillips Plaza and honors the life and work of that trailblazing Milwaukee woman.
The sculpture, by artist Karyn Olivier, is called "I Didn't Do It Alone," something that Phillips often said.
The memorial features several elements, including a bronze desk, bronze chair, and six outward-facing figures who represent citizens, activists, and leaders who worked with Philips as she fought for social change.
The late Vel R. Phillips was a leader in the civil rights movement in Milwaukee during the 1960s.
She was the first African American woman to graduate from the University of Wisconsin Law School. She also broke gender and color barriers as she continued on to serve on the Common Council, become a judge, and eventually secretary of state for Wisconsin.
