Year after year, Milwaukee lands at or near the top of the most segregated US city list. Individual activists, organizations, and media outlets in Milwaukee work tirelessly to call attention to and address the severely unjust disparities resulting from this racial divide. A call to greater action to repair the deep damage of segregation must be informed by a shared understanding of how we got here: not by choice, but by design.
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About the inquiry
Compelling Question
Why should we care that Milwaukee is segregated?
Staging Question
Uncover initial beliefs about segregation in Milwaukee. Explore current Milwaukee County racial demographics and racial inequalities through spatial correlations. Preview the historical practices that created these inequities.
1
Supporting QuestionWho segregated Milwaukee and how?
Formative TasksIdentify evidence that government and institutions in the first half of the 20th century used policies and practices to create and maintain racial segregation and discrimination in Milwaukee County and explore their impact.
SourcesStations with primary sources and explanations of policies and practices that created and maintained segregation
DBD: MKE timeline
Grouped timeline
2
Supporting QuestionHow did housing policies affect individuals?
Formative TasksUnderstand the impact of policies and practices on individuals in Milwaukee by participating in a mixer and reading first-hand accounts of individuals affected by the policies and practices. Synthesize information in a visual representation.
SourcesMixer roles
Primary sources from Milwaukee residents, organized by policy/practice
3
Supporting QuestionHow does the past connect to the present?
Formative TasksUnderstand how racial segregation and discrimination practices and policies harmed Black residents and communities and helped white residents and communities in Milwaukee County through a learning simulation and hypothesized pathway.
Sources“Not Even Past: Social Vulnerability and the Legacy of Redlining”
Hypothesized pathways
4
Supporting QuestionWhat is the lasting impact of segregation in Milwaukee today?
Formative TasksIdentify evidence of persistent racial inequalities in Milwaukee County today tied to where one lives.
SourcesHealth diagram from the Healthiest Wisconsin 2020 Focus Area Profile
Excerpts from articles highlighting the lasting effects of segregation in Milwaukee.
Summative Performance Task
Argument: Why should we care that Milwaukee is segregated? Construct an argument that addresses the question and support your position with evidence documented from sources throughout the inquiry.
Extension: Students could create a version of their argument for social media.
Taking Informed Action
Understand: Brainstorm and visualize what constitutes healthy communities.
Assess: Identify, explore, and explain what groups in Milwaukee are doing to create positive change.
Act: Take informed action to address inequalities created by housing segregation and create a more equitable present and future for all through one of the following: teach others accurate history, support existing organizations working for safe and healthy communities for all, or hold institutions accountable for building a better future.