1. Straight Outta Milwaukee…
The Most Segregated City in the United States

2. The study Marc Levine, PhD, UW-Milwaukee
Professor of History, Economic Development & Urban Studies (1984)
Co-author of 4 books on the subject
Senior Fellow
Considered a go to “expert” by journalists in the field of urban social and economic conditions

3. Purpose of the Study
Demonstrate possible impact of Wisconsin Act 23 Voter Identification Statute
2011 American Civil Liberties Union filed suit: Frank vs Walker
Permanent injunction (stop)
2015 held up that it violates the Voting Rights Act (1st state to do this)

4. Proposed issues with the Act
$28 Fee for ID (waiver available)
Hours of DMVs
Birth Certificate required (alternatives, but not publicly known)
Locations of DMVs

5. Levine’s point Act 23 is discriminatory Politically under represented
More barriers
Cycle…

6. Credibility of the Study
Milwaukee is the #1 racially segregated city in the country
2010 census study by Univ. of Michigan
2010 study by Brown University
2010 study by Harvard and Duke

7. Definition of urban segregation
Concentration of minorities in area of the city (Milwaukee: north side’s “Inner Core”)
“index of dissimilarity” – how diverse is a neighborhood (60 is bad, Milwaukee has been in the 90s since the 1970s)
Segregated public schools (Milwaukee is #2 for Black-White seg. and #8 for Hispanic-White of the top 100 largest districts)

8. WI is #16 as most segregated state in public schools
Resegregation
Housing Market
Lowest rate of minority suburbanization
8% live in suburbs
Compare to 40-50% in Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit
WI is #16 as most segregated state in public schools
41% of Black students attend schools that are over 90% minority in composition

9. 2015 HUD study

10. History Top 5 most seg. cities since 1950s
Huge growth in Black population from : 22k to 150k (over 255k today)
Recession = reduction in manufacturing jobs = resegregation

11. Contributing Factors Housing Suburban politics
Mortgage (home loan) denial ratio gap
Even among high income non-whites
Same rate as low-income whites
Suburban politics
Limit low income housing in suburbs
i.e Mayor of New Berlin called racial slurs b/c he proposed a new low income housing project
Had his background checked to see if he had any “African- American blood”
2011 US Dept. of Justice sued New Berlin for violated federal affordable housing project
2012 approved

12. Some of the opposition was based in part on fear that prospective tenants would be African American or minority. The Mayor, Aldermen, Plan Commissioners and staff at DCD were aware that community opposition was based in part on race. The communications they received over several weeks contained express and implied racial terms that were derogatory and based on stereotypes of African American residents. These communications references “niggers,” “white flight,” “crime,” “drugs,” “gangs,” “families with 10 or 15 kids,” of “slums,” of not wanting New Berlin to turn into “Milwaukee,” of moving to New Berlin “to get away from the poor people…”24

13. : House Hold Income by Race & Ethnicity source: US Bureau of the Census, American Community Survey, yr data
GROUP
Median HH Income
As % of White HH Income
White Non-Hispanic
$60,302
Black
$27,802
46.04%
Hispanic
$36,623
60.73%

14. Milwaukee’s poverty rate (% of people living below the poverty line for family size) 36%
2 adult, 2 child renters: approx. $23000 in Milwaukee
Wisconsin is 16 of 50 states

16. Segregation by where people live
Conditions:
“concentrated” or “extreme” poverty is defined as concentration (over 40%) of people in poverty
Limitations due to costs
High crime rates
Limited resources
Relocation of businesses
33% of blacks; 1.6% of whites (2010)

17. Blacks and Hispanics make up 23% of Metro Milwaukee’s population
Blacks and Hispanics make up 86% of people living in extreme poverty

18. Education Milwaukee’s achievement gaps are highest in US
Top test scores: 5% Black; 3% Latino
44% of non-Hispanic Whites hold post high school degree
19% Blacks; 16% Hispanics (2010)

19. Graduation rates WI: largest graduation gap (2013/14)
Overall went up to 88% (all students)
White: 93%
Black: 66% for state
60% for Milwaukee

20. Employment, education and incarceration

21. Employment
Early 1900s = one of the highest rates of employment among Black Males
2010 = 44%of working age (16-64) were employed (#3 in country of large metro areas)
77% of White Males
Largest racial disparity

22. NATIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE BY RACE

23. Relationship between unemployment and crime

24. Milwaukee Racial Unemployment Gap
Milwaukee (2010) Males, Ages 25-54
% employed
53% Black
85% White
GAP= 32%
Buffalo, NY (#2) 26% GAP

25. Contributing factors to unemployment
Surroundings
Education:
Poor quality
Low graduation rates
Geography:
Jobs moving to suburbs
Discrimination:
2000 study –testers with same qualifications, different races, different criminal records
30% whites w/o record called back; 14% Black
w/record – 17%; 5% Black

26. Business ownership Self-employed = wealth opportunities
Improves communities where the minority owned business is located
Milwaukee lowest on list

27. Incarceration Rates Since 1970s, has quintupled (X5) in US
Disproportionately African American males
2005 Wisconsin – 2nd highest black incarceration rate in country (2Xs NY, IL & OH)
40% of black males in Milwaukee County ages have been in corrections system (5% of whites; 5% of Hispanics)

28. OVERLAPPING STATISTICS
Link???
Milwaukee County – 40% black males in “the system”
67% of them are released into poorest neighborhoods
60% graduation rate
** See Summary of Racial and Ethnic Socioeconomic Disparities Table