THE WKND SPECIAL FOCUS
IRENE GOGGANS The Griot of Our Community
“Many of us clip and save articles, with plans to review and determine how to make worth of the things that happen daily. Honorary Doctor Irene Bishop Goggans has made her collections a duty, a collective, a visual history of her beloved community and for that we THANK HER..... WE CONGRATULATE HER .... WE APPLAUD HER.”
VOL. XXXII NO. 47 MAY 8, 2015 50 CENTS BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN PERMIT 4668
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Special WKND Focus on...
IRENE GOGGANS OUR Community’s GRIOT! By Patricia O’Flynn Pattillo “One woman’s throwaway is another woman’s treasure” is an old saying that describes creating value by collecting, re-cycling and preserving.
Preservation is significantly appropriate when thinking of the new 2015 Honorary Doctorate of Community History recipient, IRENE BISHOP GOGGANS, who will be acknowledged during graduation ceremonies, Sunday, May 17, 2015, by the Board of Regents and the Chancellor of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The ceremony will be held at the UW Panther Arena, 400 W. Kilbourn Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at 1:30 p.m in the afternoon. Honorary Degree recipient, Goggans understood that news, even old news is valuable. News is history! And “her-story” about Milwaukee is visible and touchable through clippings and postings, repre-
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senting over 60 plus years. Community History, the honor for which Dr. Goggans is being robed, is more than articles and clippings and photos. Community History is people, happenings, concerns, photographs, issues, legislation and affirmations and confirmations. Community History is a library of events, births, deaths, marches, graduations, elections, political musings, legislative outcomes, editorials, perspectives, reactions, remarks and opinions. Irene Bishop Goggans has earned, unilaterally, the honor of being a curator of Milwaukee’s Black history. Her scrapbooks, photo albums, pasted papers, sticky notes and boxes of memorabilia are unprece-
dented. Using a prism of change, review, and questions about actions that demanded follow-up, are now a collection of history. Newspapers, television morgues, and libraries are a treasury of information, yet the perspective of this Lincoln High School graduate, who came to Milwaukee in 1942, from Dyersburg, Tennessee, is uniquely pertinent, for it speaks to an unparalleled era in Milwaukee’s history. Dr. Goggans’ collection reveals what she viewed as significant; and reflects the lives of many African Americans of that period. An elder in Milwaukee today, Dr Goggans’ life includes her marriage to husband, ‘Pat’, in 1947, who was employed at the United States Post Office, and worked from the Third
Street Office ( now King Drive ). “Pat” Goggans was known by many, as he observed, walked and delivered mail to this growing populace from rural America. As conscientious parents of their son, Kenneth, educated in the Milwaukee Public schools, they were very involved in church, sports and community. Personally, and as a couple, they belonged to and
The WKND Special Focus May 8, 2015 Page 3 volunteered in a number of Called upon often, today, fledgling civic, political, so- to review different individucial, religious and educaals, to refresh the setional organizations, that quence of events on a made for a unique purview given subject, or to reflect from which to witness the upon quotes from personalmany changes in the City ities on specific-issues or of Milwaukee. periods, Mrs. Goggans is a Irene Bishop Goggans living library who rememhas chronicled and colbers and quickly corrects lected tediously throughout. misinterpretations and misInspired after meeting Alex guided recalls. Haley, the author of She is a living legend, a “Roots”, whose iconic work community treasure. was influenced by his exWith a plethora of years’ periences as a child in Dy- information on Integration, ersburg, Tennessee, Dr. Busing, DeFacto SegregaGoggans was fueled to tion and day by day acbegin to record ‘her-story”, countings of the marches through articles and photo- for open housing; Father (continued on page 4) graphs.
In Loving Memory Quality Service... a tenured tradition sincere concern at your time of need.
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Offering pre-need, at need and after-care services to families in Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha and other communities throughout our state.
Rogers, Nancy M. Age 80 yrs. April 29, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 6 at 1PM. Visitation Wednesday 12 Noon until time of services at: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020
Blanks, Roosevelt Jr. Age 76 yrs. April 28, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 6 at 11AM at Bethel Baptist Church 2030 W. North Ave. Visitation Wednesday 10AM at the Church until time of services. The family is served by: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020
Northern, Naomi Age 82 yrs. April 30, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, May 5 at 1PM. Visitation Tuesday 12 Noon until time of services at; Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Kearney, Moses M. Age 60 yrs. April 23, 2015. A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, May 8 at 6PM at: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Smaglick, Donna L. Age 62 yrs. April 27, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 6 at 11AM. Visitation Wednesday 10AM until time of services at: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Hall, Claretha M. Age 85 yrs. April 26, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, May 5 at 11AM at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church 1717 W. Meinecke Ave. Visitation Tuesday 10AM at the CHURCH until time of services. The family is served by: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020
J.C. Frazier, Funeral Director
Adams, Edward L. Age 54 yrs. April 28, 2015. Beloved father of Carmen Cadotte and Romond Jackson. Loving son of Bernice Adams. Brother of Johnny Adams, Dorothy Adams, Alice Adams, Debora Adams, Sondra(Rick)Barnett, Vincent (Valecia) Adams and Marcus(Sheila)Adams. Also survived by 3 grandchildren and a host of other loving relatives and friends. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, May 5 at 12 Noon at St. Paul Worship Center 2661 N. 53rd St. Visitation Tuesday 10AM at the CHURCH until time of services. The family is served by: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Green, Reginald S. Sr. Age 58 years. May 1, 2015. Beloved husband of Sharon (Walker) Green. Loving father of Perry II (Monique) Green, and Reginald Green Jr. Protective brother of Yvonne (Andrew) Hopgood, Valerie (Arthur) Lee, Anita (Samuel) Johnson, Rae Green, Shawn Green and Mary (Hoyt) Mahaley. Also survived by a host of other loving relatives and friends. Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 8, 2015, 11AM at New Testament Church of Milwaukee, 10201 W. Bradley Rd. Milwaukee, WI. In state Friday 9AM at the CHURCH until time of services. The family is served by: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020
Families served by:
Northwest Funeral Chapel O’Bee, Ford & Frazier
Milwaukee 6630 W. Hampton Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53218 Telephone: (414) 462-6020 Fax: (414) 462-9937
Racine 800 Barker St. Racine, WI 53402 Telephone: (262) 637-6400 Fax: (262) 637-6416
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IRENE GOGGANS (continued from page 3)
James Groppi, the Commandos, the roles of Atty. Vel Phillips, Atty. Lloyd Barbee, Monroe Swan, Representative Annette ‘Polly’ Williams, Marcia Coggs, Isaac Coggs. Others like Orville Pitts, Terrence Pitts, Sergeant Felmers Chaney, Leroy Jones are shown. Personal friends like Marie Gaines, Ruby Young, Bernice Thomas and other Y’s Menettes, who sold bricks and Fashion Fair tickets for memberships for the North Central YMCA are a book. We Milwaukeean giants like Robert Starms and Wesley Scott and Cal Beckett, who mentored others like Ben Johnson and Marlene Johnson, Howard Fuller, Robert Thomas, Curtiss Harris and Jerrel
Jones and his Mother, Mary Ellen, are there. Sororities, fraternities, social clubs, business owners like Ernestine O’Bee, Bea Childs and Virtrue Lyday, Martha Toran and Vi Harris, with the games/machines and juke boxes. Milwaukee’s social life with musings from Mattibelle Woods are touching. Debutante Balls and Galas and Dances for scholarships are there, also. Many photos by Harry Kemp say a thousand words. Day Care centers with help from Edith Finlayson and Lorraine Carter and Frances Starms, in early childhood education. Nurses, Ruth Tucker, Dr. Patricia Mc Mannus and Lillie O’Bee, among others. The arts, Ko-Thi, African
American Children’s Center, Inner City Arts, Florence Dukes and Evelyn Terry or Dr. James Cameron and Clay Benson. The medical community including Dr. John Terry, Dr. Leroy Mitcham, Dr. Bill Finlayson and Dr. Randy Pollard, Dr. Roland Pattillo and Dr. John Ridley and Dr. Peter Murrell, are early practitioners. Love’s Liquor stores and Hall’s Beauty supply, and barber shops and beauty shops like Hattie’s who moved to Capitol Court, a first for a Black business. North Milwaukee State Bank and Columbia Savings and Loan, Mrs. Ardie Halyard and Carter Insurance and Carter Drug Stores, Dr. Goggans has clippings about them all..
Realtors, Beechie Brooks and Robert Mays, Luther Golden, Claude Baldwin and Edward Smyth broke housing racial bearers, Dr. Goggans shows the movement of Blacks from Walnut Street to everywhere today. Service stations, and grocery stores, Lena’s and Black Gem, Malone’s Sausage, and T.V repair shops and LeRoy’s Jewelers plus Fowlkes Furniture on Third Street, before the 1967 riots. Ebony Cue and Robby’s Drive In, and the first Mc Donald’s on 9th and North Avenue. Soul food restaurants like Mrs. Charity Church’s place, on Fond du
Lac Avenue....the fore-runner to today’s Sweetie’ Pies phenomenon., ask about them. “We had jobs, many jobs”, Dr. Goggans reports! Many bars, Alfie’s and Donald Jackson’s, eateries, including Mc Coy’s bakeries and coffee shops, storefront churches and larger congregations like Calvary, Metropolitan and St. Marks, St. Matthew, Mt. Moriah, Ephesians; and All Saints, and Incarnation Lutheran, are shown as the population continued to grow. And yes, crime, robberies, prison terms, drugs,
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IRENE GOGGANS
(continued from page 4) and a changing diaspora also take a book or two. No, it’s not like it did not exist..it’s just that they were infrequent and far between, remember Alderman McGee’s “Guns Buy Back”. Still graduations and job placements and upward mobility were more the norm than the exception. Dr. Goggans has witnessed it all. She chronicled it all; and she has much to say about what she thinks we should be doing. Indeed she’s earned her elder-position and the accolades of all who now honor her. ) Integration of the city buses, promotions of the mailmen, the first Black County Supervisor, and Supervisor Bernice Rose, State Representative, Marcia Coggs ascending her husband after his death, a first for a Black female, the election of her daughter to the County Board, the State Representative seat, the loss for State Senator but the election of her cousin to the City Treasurer, and her cousin with a stronghold on the State Legislature; Judge Clarence Parrish and Senator Gary George, she has this and all of the other offices in between. Irene Bishop Goggans posted and recorded it. The scrapbooks take up loads of space but the mental recall by this community treasure is most enthusiastic and more passionate in explaining the history than any book or paper or clipping shall ever portray. She is a walking book..a lover of life! Deaths, obituaries, community losses are recorded with grief stricken sensitivity, particularly for many exempted attempts, projects and initiatives that were projected to make significant changes in the city of Milwaukee. This historian not only recorded it, she shared her personal perspective on it. Valuable, treasures, indeed: Doctor Irene Bishop Goggans. We salute our preserver...home librarian...historian! Many of us clip and save articles, with plans to review and determine how to make worth of the things that happen daily. Honorary Doctor Irene Bishop Goggans has made her collections a duty, a collective, a visual history of her beloved community and for that we THANK HER.....WE CONGRATULATE HER ....WE APPLAUD HER. DR. IRENE BISHOP GOGGANS, COMMUNITY HISTORIAN
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