Milwaukee's Diversity

DAY ONE

Morning/Afternoon

A richly woven fabric of culturally diverse communities makes the lovely lakefront city of Milwaukee what it is today: lively, progressive, and welcoming. What better way to acquaint yourself with the many facets of this melting pot destination than to spend the day exploring some of the city's museums.

Founded in 1987, the Wisconsin Black Historical Society Museum (2620 W. Center Street/414-372-7677) documents and preserves the historical heritage of African-American decent in Wisconsin. Among the museum's permanent exhibits is a fourteen panel mural tracing African-American history from ancient Egyptian civilization to early settlers in rural Wisconsin.

America's Black Holocaust Museum's (2233 N. 4^th St./414-264-2500) exhibits educate visitors about the African-American Holocaust-beginning with the capture of millions of Africans for sale as slaves and continuing through modern injustices. The museum will challenge your assumptions about race and racism.

Learn about Wisconsin's Native Americans at the Milwaukee Public Museum's (800 W. Wells St./414-278-2700) "A Tribute to Survival". The centerpiece of this exhibit is titled "Indian Country" and features a modern powwow grand entry scene with 37 life-sized figures in colorful dance attire. Another must see exhibit is the "Streets of Old Milwaukee", a recreation of urban life in Milwaukee at the turn of the 20^th century. Featured here are the Watsons, Milwaukee's first prominent African-American family. Next, take in the museum's "European Village", an imaginative recreation of carefully selected homes and shops as they may have appeared about 1875 to 1925. This setting has been created to promote a better understanding of some of the diverse European heritages in the United States.

Evening

Make a trip to Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley (only minutes from downtown) to experience one of the Midwest's premiere entertainment destinations.Potawatomi Bingo Casino is a Las Vegas-style gaming and entertainment complex offering visitors a chance to try their luck at gaming, take in a show at the cabaret-style theatre or enjoy award-winning dining in an elegant atmosphere.

DAY TWO

Morning/Afternoon

Start your day off right with a treat from Lopez Bakery Corporation (1100 W. Historic Mitchell St./414-672-1830). This fifth generation Mexican bakery knows the secret for making your mouth and tummy smile-a variety of sumptuous authentic Mexican pastries and breads and traditionally unique Mexican breakfasts. They also serve lunches and early dinners.  

After breakfast experience the wonder of the Basilica of St. Josaphat (620 W. Lincoln Ave./414-645-5623). This is the only Basilica in the state of Wisconsin and is a miniature version of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. It's hard to believe, but St. Joe's was actually built with the pennies of Milwaukee's Polish immigrants. In fact, the basilica was built with recycled materials from a razed Chicago Post Office and Customs House. To this day, the doorknobs still say "U.S. Government."

Continue your tour of the city's churches by visiting St. Mark's AME Church(1616 W. Atkinson Ave./414-562-8030). Established in 1869, St. Mark's is the first African American church in the city and still has a large and active congregation today.

Take a drive by Calvary Baptist Church (2959 N. Teutonia Ave./414-372-0850). Established in 1885 this is the oldest African-American Baptist church in Milwaukee and features architecture based on traditional African homes.

Next, head over to Marquette University for a tour of the St. Joan of Arc Chapel. Nestled inside the campus, this 15th century French chapel is where the saint once worshipped. It was disassembled and rebuilt on the Marquette campus centuries later, and there it still stands. Portions of the chapel wall are lined in stone. There is one stone in the building that, regardless of the climate or the temperature of surrounding stones, is always cold to the touch.

Evening

Take in some jazz, spoken world, R & B or hip-hop at one of the city's many local clubs. Or perhaps you prefer the performing arts. The Ko-Thi Dance Company presents the dance and music of African American and Caribbean cultures. Established in 1969, it is the third oldest African dance company in the country and tours internationally to critical acclaim.

DAY THREE

Morning/Afternoon

Time to do some shopping! Visit Historic Brady Street for everything from bakeries and markets to furniture, art and jewelry. Brady Street is an ethnically diverse community near downtown Milwaukee with an architectural tapestry of styles, materials and building types. Most of the buildings were constructed between 1860 and 1930 and created a distinctive neighborhood that served as a main street for its immigrant community. Ethnic influences to the area include Irish, German, Polish, Italian, and most recently, Russian. The street is known for its unique mix of specialty shops.

Be sure to stop in The Reader's Choice (1950 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Dr./414-265-2003), Milwaukee's oldest and largest African-American owned bookstore. Their specialty is the best in literature by minority authors such as Richard Wright, T.D. Jakes, and Iyanla Vanzant.

Other specialty stores include:

Jua Kali Afrikan Imports, Books & Gifts (150 W. Wisconsin Ave./414-223-4770) provides high-quality handicrafts from Africa such as masks, wildlife and figurines make from wood and Kissii stone. A large variety of batik and banana fiber pictures, clothing, jewelry, black books and a big selection of African and reggae music are offered. 

Go to Artasia Gallery & Museum (159 N. Broadway Ave./414-220-4292) to explore ethnic art, artifacts, carvings, accents, jewelry, clothing, furniture and antiques-all from the far reaches of China, Tibet, Nepal and Mongolia.

Latino Arts, Inc., (1028 S. 9^th St./414-384-3100) is an exciting theater and art gallery dedicated to the Hispanic visual and performing arts and the renowned Ballet Folklorico Mexico.

Evening

You can get a feel for the city's heavy Germanic influence by visiting Mader's Restaurant (1037-41 N. Old World Third St./414-271-3377) or Karl Ratzsch's Restaurant (320 E. Mason St./414-276-2720) for traditional German cuisine.

Have a taste for something different? Check out our Dining/Nightlife pagefor tastes from around the world.

Be sure to check our Calendar of Events to see if your visit coincides with one of our many ethnic festivals. Known as "The City of Festivals", Milwaukee celebrates its rich melting pot heritage throughout the year with a procession of ethnic festivals that give you a glimpse into a culture's art, cuisine, history, and entertainment.