"Aftergraduation,they returned to Milwaukee where they opened up their law office," "Phillips and Phillips, and were ready to start a family." "We'dbeentryingand trying and trying." "Theyhadhadalotof difficulty." "They wanted a family, and they'd almost given up." "Lifefortheyoungcouple was busy." "In addition to practicing law, Vel Phillips volunteered in her community." "She joined the League of Women Voters to register her neighbors to vote, and also went door-to-door in the nearby neighborhood of Bronzeville." "Ihadneverseen that kind of poverty." "They would have the oven on and the door open." "That was the heat." "The rest of the house would be cold." "And then children would be running around, and I thought that was dangerous, really." "Whatshesaw,whenyouget behind the doors, the broken down plumbing, the walls coming down, the ceilings coming down, the conditions." "Whitesupremacydictates that white people are better and you see that in material circumstances." "This is why physical space is really important, whether it's marking separate schools or train cars and things." "They're not just separate, but they're inferior." "Thehousesmighthavebeen  in disrepair, but the people weren't in disrepair." "They were good people." "And they might have been poor, but they were human beings." "Thesepeopleareworking, these people are paying taxes." "It's good old taxation without representation." "Thelatestcensushad  revealed a surge in Milwaukee's" "African American population." "With it, a new ward was created and the possibility of an African American alderman on the all-white, all-male Common Council." "TheCommonCouncilin Milwaukee is a very powerful city council." "Andevenwhenyou are not  able to carry the day on a legislative measure, you have a vocal platform, you're quoted in the paper, so you can put black experience, black interest out there." "You can be on record, too." "That was just not possible before." "1956wouldbe thefirst election to include the new ward." "DoyleGeter,whoworkedfor the Journal," "I called him and I said, "Doyle, how many women had been on the council?"" "He said, "Oh, you're thinking about running?"" "And I said, "Yes."" "He said, "Oh, Vel, I wouldn't do it." "You just wouldn't fit, you're just too dainty." "A lot of men, they smoke and drink."" "I said, "Well, I don't have to drink to be a good city council person."" "Thenew2ndWardincluded both black and white neighborhoods." "Realistically,I thinkeven if you got every" "African American adult over 21, was the age then, to vote, it wouldn't have been enough." "You're going to need some white votes." "Phillipsdecidedthatifshe wanted to get elected, she would have to hide that she was black, and that she was a woman." "Campaign literature listed her as "Vel" instead of her given name, Velvalea." "And in the white areas of the 2nd Ward, Phillips made sure that the campaign literature included no photos of her." "Imean,Isee itasjust a savvy, political and strategic decision to win." "Tohelpgether nameout,  she turned to Milwaukee's white liberals." "Veldidn'thavethat artificial barrier in her head between blacks and whites." "She was just able to get along with everybody." "That was such an admirable characteristic of hers." "Herdistrictwashalfwhite and half black." "I was given the white district and her little card had her name and her background." "But in the black district, the cards had her picture." "And so I was passing out cards in the white area and some guy said, "How come you don't have her picture on this card?"" "I said, "Well, we have many different kinds of literature."" "[laughter] Onemorningduring the campaign, Vel got a phone call from her doctor." "Thedoctorcalledmeand said I had to come back." "I said, "Oh, I'm too busy." "Why don't we wait until after the election?"" "The doctor said that, "It's very important that you come in."" "I told that to my mother and she started crying." ""It's the big C."" "So when I went in to the doctor I was then convinced it was cancer, so I stood up." "He said, "Sit down, Mrs. Phillips."" "I said, "No." "When I'm getting bad news, I like to stand up."" "He said, "Do you know how to knit?"" "I said, "What does that have to do with anything?"" "He said, "Because you're pregnant."" ""You've got to be kidding!"" "Stunned,Phillipswalkedback into the waiting room to Dale." "Isaid, "Honey, I'm pregnant."" "He says, "Hug me." "Oh, my God, baby, what wonderful news!"" "But I was almost in tears, because I said," ""Now I'll never win."" "I was so thrilled that I was pregnant, but I was afraid that it would cost me the election." "And that really frightened me." "You'retalking, the mid-1950s." "Maybe you finally convince them to vote for you as a woman and as an African American, but you as a mother?" "Phillipsdecidedto conceal her pregnancy until after the election." "RightawayIstartedwearing stuff that would hide it." "You know the artists wear those kind of coats?" "I bought some of those and nobody knew I was pregnant." "And I would come home and I would just be worn out." "My husband would rub my feet." ""Oh, honey, you're doing a wonderful job."" "Stillcampaigning on Election Day, the Phillips' offered to drive fellow residents to the polls." "Vel asked one white couple whom they were planning to vote for." "Thewomansaid, "We're voting for Vel Phillips."" "And the man said, "Yes, we think he's very qualified." "We think he's a very good candidate."" "I stopped like that, and my husband said, "Oh, good." "We think he's great." "You're voting for the right person."" "[laughter] OnApril3rd,1956," "Vel Phillips was elected as Milwaukee's first female and first African American alderman." "Milwaukeewasincorporated in 1846 and this was 1956." "So it took 110 years." "And when I won, the reporter talked to me." "She said, "How does it feel to be the first woman on the city council?"" "I said, "Being on the council is a wonderful thing, but I have something even more important and more meaningful for me, because I'm with child." "They won't get just a woman, they'll get a woman and a half.""