University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Archives Department.

Milwaukee Citizens for Equal Opportunity.

Records, 1960-1966.

Milwaukee Micro Collection 16

1 microfilm reel (35 mm)

ABSTRACT: The film includes correspondence, minutes of meetings, newsletters, ephemera, and miscellaneous organizational materials pertaining to the activities of the Milwaukee Citizens for Equal Opportunity (MCEO). Among the correspondence are several letters exchanged with James Farmer of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), Mayor Henry Maier of Milwaukee, and several Wisconsin congressmen. Also present are some materials relating to other local civil rights organizations, including the Citizens Committee for Fair Housing Practices, the Milwaukee Area Joint Committee for Equal Opportunity in Housing, Milwaukee Urban League, Wisconsin Citizens for Fair Housing, Milwaukee Commission on Community Relations, and other groups. A few materials representing civil rights activities of out-of-state groups are also present, evidently used by MCEO for reference purposes. Most of these relate to Illinois. Of particular interest are an action guide on "How to Prevent Panic Selling," distributed by the New York City Commission on Human Rights (mimeographed, October, 1963), and a detailed presentation of the campaign of the Greater Minneapolis Interfaith Fair Housing Program (mimeographed, c. 1960; title page missing), whose techniques appear to have been adapted by MCEO for use in Milwaukee. These two items appear at the very end of the film. All other materials have been placed in a single chronological sequence, followed by a number of undated items, and by the two mimeographed pamphlets just described.

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law. However, the researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

COLLECTION CITATION: This collection should be cited as:

Milwaukee Citizens for Equal Opportunity. Records, 1960-1966. Milwaukee Micro Collection 16. State Historical Society of Wisconsin. Milwaukee Area Research Center. Golda Meir Library. University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee.

RELATED COLLECTIONS:

Congress of Racial Equality. Milwaukee Chapter. Records, 1963-1964. (Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 27)

ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY NOTE: The MCEO was organized in November 1960. Initially its interest was focused on civil rights problems in the South. In 1961 it obtained 5,500 signatures on a petition to President Kennedy urging his strongest support for school integration in all states, raised money for the Save Our Schools committee in New Orleans as well as for evicted tenant farmers in Fayette County, Tennessee. The MCEO soon turned its attention to local problems of housing discrimination and school integration in Milwaukee. It cooperated with and later merged with the Citizens Committee for Fair Housing Practices. In 1962 and 1963 it circularized "Good Neighbor Pledges," and published names of signers in the Milwaukee Journal. It initiated a free housing referral service in 1964, but difficulties in locating adequate housing available on a nondiscriminatory basis further convinced the MCEO of the necessity of corrective legislation. In 1963 and 1965 it was active in organizing support for fair housing bills under consideration by the state legislature. It was also active in its efforts to encourage reforms in the Milwaukee school system and criticized de facto segregation, supporting the 1964 and 1965 school boycotts.

ACQUISITION: Loaned for microfilming by Mrs. Helen Barnhill, Milwaukee, 1966 (accession number M66-51).

MARC RECORD SEARCH TERMS: The following terms were used in the online bibliographic MARC record to this collection:

Citizens Committee for Fair Housing Practices (Milwaukee, Wis.).
Milwaukee Area Joint Committee for Equal Opportunity in Housing.