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Vol. 39 • No. 22 • Thurs., June 04, 2020 - Wed., June 10, 2020 • An NCON Publication Serving The Milwaukee Area • 75¢
Local funeral home owner and businessman Arthur Reid, Jr., passes at age 82 Arthur Reid, Jr., business man, founder and president of Reid’s New Golden Gate Funeral Home and a longtime benefactor of student education in Milwaukee, died Wednesday, May 27, 2020. He was 82 years old. Arthur Reid was born in Jackson, Tennessee. His family relocated to Milwaukee when he was 13 years old. He first became interested in the funeral business due to the fact he was friends with the children of the late Lamar Williamson, founding director of what is now called the Leon L. Williamson Funeral Home. In an interview in 2015 with The Milwaukee Times, Arthur recalled his introduction to the funeral business. “One day in 1956, Mr. Williamson came to me and asked if I
wanted to learn the funeral business or if I wanted to keep fooling around like the other kids outside,” he said. “I never looked back.” Myra Holland, co-founder of Fred’s Ornamental Security Doors, lived in the same duplex as Arthur for the first year after her family moved to Milwaukee. “He was very ambitious and well organized,” she said. “Even when he was a young man, he had a plan to own his own funeral home. He accomplished his goal.” Before opening his own funeral home, Arthur Reid worked in a factory and at several other jobs, saving money and learning the business. In 1981, he co-founded Reid and Yandell Funeral Home, which eventually became the first Golden Gate
Jr., became the sole owner and operator of Reid’s New Golden Gate Funeral Home located at 5665 North Teutonia Avenue in 2008. In 2012 Reid's New Golden Gate Funeral Home opened up its second location at 1910 Taylor Avenue in Racine, Wisconsin. A third location was later established at 2535 North Teutonia Avenue in Milwaukee. Being successful in business was never enough for Reid, however. Milwaukee photographer George Bryant recalled that Reid was Funeral Home in 1986. For also a devoted Christian seven years, Golden Gate family man, and community Funeral Home serviced the philanthropist. Milwaukee community. In “What a great legacy,” 1993, Golden Gate Funer- Bryant said. “He had a real al Home changed its name concern for young people as to The New Golden Gate well as the organizations and Funeral Home. Arthur Reid the people who work with
The death of George Floyd sparks protests in Milwaukee and across the world
Photos by Kim A. Robinson
Hundreds rallied Friday, May 29, 2020 and through the weekend in Milwaukee to denounce the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and other acts of police misconduct across the country before marching to I-43 and shutting down part of the freeway. The protest began with a moment of silence to honor Floyd, who died Monday, May 25, 2020, after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes as he was gasping for air and pleading that he couldn't breathe. "We're here in solidarity," said Vaun Mayes, a community activist who organized the event outside the Wisconsin Black Historical Society. The four officers involved in Floyd's death have been fired, but not all have been arrested or charged, and the ensuing protests in Minneapolis have led to several nights of violent unrest. As demonstrators rallied and An NCON Communications Publication
marched Friday afternoon in Milwaukee, authorities in Minnesota announced the officer who put his knee on Floyd's neck had been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Floyd's death has been condemned by national and local politicians, law enforcement leaders and everyday Americans of all races; and for many black Americans it was another painful example of the injustice and discrimination they encounter daily. Fred Royal, president of the NAACP Milwaukee Branch, called on those gathered to keep working for justice after the rally. “This is to honor those who died at the hands of police brutality," Royal said, adding: "The question is what are you going to do when the cameras are gone and the excitement dies down?” Then, holding handmade signs reading "I can't breathe" and "Black lives matter," hundreds of people (Continued on pg. 7)
them.” Since 2011, Arthur and his wife, Mary, partnered with WISN-TV Channel 12 and The Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper to donate laptop computers to the Milwaukee area high school graduates tapped by the newspaper as Louvenia Johnson Scholarship recipients during the annual Black Excellence Awards. The couple also sponsored field trips and donated to various youth causes through their church, St. Matthew Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Arthur Reid, Jr., is survived by Mary and two daughters: Sheila Reid Johnson and Phyllis Reid. Funeral arrangements are still pending at this time.
1967 Clifford McKissick murder shows how little things have changed By William Scott Gooden By the end of the day on Tuesday, May 26, 2020, many people in this city and all over the country knew the name of George Floyd. The 44-yearold was arrested by police outside a shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota. One of the officers, Derek Chauvin, leaned on his neck for nine minutes, later resulting in Floyd’s death. But do you know or remember the killing of Clifford McKissick in 1967? Sparked by brawls with police, a racist threat and gunfire, a riot broke out on Milwaukee's north side on July 30, 1967. The National Guard was brought in to quell the violence that continued over four days with burning, looting and sniper fire. By the time it was over, 100 people had been hurt, more than 1,700 had been arrested and four people, including Police Officer Brian Moschea, were dead. On the third day, an 18-year-old African American college student, Clifford McKissick, was shot in the neck as he was running into his house. He died on the floor of his family’s home. Police officers involved in the incident said they saw McKissick and other young people lighting gasoline-filled bottles and throwing them into a paint store. The officers said the teen ignored their order to halt. McKissick was a graduate of Rufus King High School, sophomore at the Wisconsin State College–Whitewater (now the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater), and worked a summer job as a counselor for the Milwaukee Boys' Club. His death was
one of the greatest tragedies of the disturbance. The police claimed that McKissick and three other youths had tried to set fire to a building with Molotov cocktails, and that it was while fleeing from the scene that police shot McKissick. McKissick’s family and several neighbors claimed, however, that he had been sitting on the front porch when all of a sudden everyone heard gunshots. Everyone, including McKissick, ran. But his family said there was no imminent danger to anyone since Mc Kissick was running into the house. His death was followed by protests. About 500 people attended his funeral, at which local civil rights activist Father James Groppi spoke. McKissick's family filed a lawsuit alleging the officer who shot him used excessive force. The attorney for the (Continued on pg. 2) www.milwaukeetimesnews.com