In the 1950s and ’60s, Bronzeville—and Walnut Street in particular—was the hub for Milwaukee’s Black community. Then a new highway was built, bisecting the area and displacing many residents. Today, the district is being revitalized, as a thoughtful mix of locally owned businesses is livening up the area north of the original commercial center. Here are six worth checking out.
America’s Black Holocaust Museum
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After a 13-year hiatus, this memorial to lynching victims, and educational institution devoted to Black history, celebrates its grand reopening on February 25. “It serves as a necessary point of pride and gathering place for diverse communities in a deeply segregated city,” says CEO Dr. Robert Davis. Tours are led by griots, the West African term for storytellers.
Jewels Caribbean Restaurant & Bar
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Milwaukee gets chilly, but general manager Natasha Jules wants guests at her restaurant to feel as if they’re “stepping into the lounge of a hotel in the Caribbean.” The colorfully painted walls are reminiscent of a roadside food stall on her parents’ home island, St. Lucia. Order the jerk chicken and a rum punch and enjoy live music on Friday and Saturday nights.
Dead Bird Brewing Co.
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“I’m a junk-food vegan, and our menu reflects that,” says Dead Bird cofounder and brewmaster Nick Kocis. Aside from a vegan menu featuring tacos and poutine, the brewery offers a lineup of sessionable and high-ABV beers, plus blended drinks and experimental fermentations. “We blur the lines between beer and wine and beer and cider,” Kocis says.
Bronzeville Collective MKE
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Handcrafted art, clothing, and accessories fill this 2,000-square- foot space, which collaborates with Milwaukee-based Black, brown, queer, and allied makers. “Our mission is to highlight local talent and give them a place to thrive, not only creatively but also financially,” says cofounder Tiffany Miller. “To be here [in Bronzeville] and a part of history is important to us.”
Bronzeville Arts Ensemble
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This theater company is a part of Black Arts MKE, an organization that promotes Black arts and culture. Bronzeville Arts Ensemble puts on original plays, classic works, and youth-focused shows. This month, catch a reading of Milwaukee Voices of Gun Violence: Resolute, Resilient, Revolutionary, written by producing artistic director Sheri Williams Pannell.
Sam’s Place Jazz Café
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Since last March, jazz musician and barista Sam Belton has been inviting people into “Milwaukee’s jazziest coffeehouse” for java from his Abyssinia Coffee Roasters and live sets from some of the Midwest’s best musicians. “You’re going to hear classic jazz here,” he says. “We are trying to keep the tradition of Black cultural music alive in Milwaukee.”
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