Originally created in 1944 as the Mayor’s Committee on Inter-Racial Relations, its
name changed through the years to the Mayor’s Commission on Human Rights, the
Milwaukee Commission on Human Rights, and the Milwaukee Commission on Community
Relations. It later became the Fair Housing and Employment Commission, which was
part of the Department of Employee Relations. In 1994, it was renamed the Equal
Rights Commission (ERC) by Ordinance 109-15-0. The ERC is the primary contact for
Milwaukee residents to file complaints or concerns regarding discrimination in
housing or employment. In 2009, the ERC altered its role from investigating
complaints to focusing on oversight and accountability, as well as working with the
community on partnerships with private, academic, and non-profit institutions in
order to provide education, prevention, and training.
