The Milwaukee chapter of Black and White Men Together formed in November 1980,
several months after the formation of the original chapter in San Francisco. In the
first issue of its newsletter, BWMT-Milwaukee declared itself to be “an
interracial support group providing social and consciousness-raising opportunities
for certain adult gay men and their friends, through social activities, rap groups
and political/community action programs.” At its peak size in 1986-1987,
BWMT-Milwaukee had sixty-five members, with an additional twenty-five to thirty
individuals regularly attending social events such as house parties and picnics.
Although the social aspect of BWMT-Milwaukee was always predominant, the group did
seek to educate the larger community about racism and homophobia. Chapter members
supported passage of Assembly Bill 70, which prohibited discrimination in
employment, housing, and public accommodations in Wisconsin on the basis of sexual
orientation, and challenged the discriminatory entry policies of some gay bars in
the metropolitan Milwaukee area.
The group held anniversary celebrations and hosted several regional meetings of other
BWMT chapters. Keynote speakers for anniversary and regional meetings were usually
state politicians and allies of the LGBT community (e.g., State Representative
Marcia Coggs, State Senator Gary George, Judge Stanley Miller, State Representative
Tim Carpenter, etc.). In 1987, the Milwaukee chapter hosted the national convention
of the National Association of Black and White Men Together. To combat declining
membership in the late 1980s and early 1990s, BWMT-Milwaukee changed its name to Men
of All Colors Together in 1993, and to People of All Colors in 1995. By fall of
1997, the group was inactive.
