El. knyga: Valiant Vel: Vel Phillips and the Fight for Fairness and Equality

"This entertaining and extensively researched biography of Vel Phillips will give young readers insight into an inspiring figure in Milwaukee's and Wisconsin's civil rights history. The book begins by dramatizing an incident that Vel experienced in high school, when she won a speech contest despite her teacher's racist discouragement. It then provides insight into what made Vel want to become a lawyer and shares her journey toward fulfilling that goal. The first several chapters of the book, which focus on Vel's childhood and young-adulthood, are based heavily on Phillips' unpublished partial autobiography, which the author gained access to through Vel's son, Michael. This has allowed the author to include scenes, incidents, and insights into Phillips' early life that the many articles, documentaries, and websites about her don't include. The rest of the book focuses on the story of Vel's historic election to the Milwaukee Common Council and her six-year fight to pass a citywide fair housing ordinance. While Vel worked tirelessly to convince her fellow alderman to pass her ordinance, Father James Groppi and the NAACP Youth Council led 200 nights of dramatic, historic demonstrations--all in support of Vel's ordinance and the effort to provide Milwaukee's Black residents with better housing opportunities and desegregate the city's long-segregated neighborhoods. An epilogue shares some of the highlights of Vel's post-Common Council career. Back matter will include an author's note, bibliography, and source notes that detail the author's extensive research"--

An illustrated biography of groundbreaking civil rights activist Vel Phillips for young readers 

Fair housing advocate, civil rights champion, and civic leader Vel Phillips spent her life breaking barriers and fighting for justice for all people. As the first Black woman on the Milwaukee Common Council, Wisconsin’s first Black judge, and the first Black woman to win statewide office when she was elected secretary of state of Wisconsin, Phillips left a lasting legacy that has inspired generations to continue the fight for justice and equality.  

Valiant Vel depicts Phillips’s captivating story for young readers in middle and high school—from her childhood experiences facing racial discrimination, to achieving her dream of becoming a lawyer, to her long career in politics and civil rights. In the 1960s, Phillips spearheaded a campaign to advocate for fair housing in Milwaukee, joining forces with the NAACP Youth Council and marching alongside other activists in the face of violent opposition. In 1968, Phillips’s persistence paid off when the Milwaukee Common Council passed a fair housing ordinance. 

Beautifully illustrated with historic photographs and original artwork by Milwaukee artist Aaron Boyd, Valiant Vel makes an excellent addition to young readers’ bookshelves at school and at home. With an afterword by Phillips’s son, Michael, a glossary of terms, and sources for further research, this book provides a thorough look at an inspirational activist who dedicated her life to making the world a better place.