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Vel Phillips | |
|---|---|
 Phillips at March on Milwaukee in 2007 | |
| 29th Secretary of State of Wisconsin | |
| In office January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1983 | |
| Governor | Lee S. Dreyfus |
| Preceded by | Doug La Follette |
| Succeeded by | Doug La Follette |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Velvalea Hortense Rodgers February 18, 1924 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | April 17, 2018 (aged 95) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Howard University University of Wisconsin–Madison Law School |
Velvalea Hortense Rodgers "Vel" Phillips (February 18, 1924 – April 17, 2018) was an American attorney, politician, jurist, and civil rights activist, who served as an alderperson and judge in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and as secretary of state of Wisconsin (1979–1983).[1] She was the first African American woman to graduate from the University of Wisconsin Law School; the first African American, as well as the first woman, elected Alderwoman to the Milwaukee Common Council; and the first African American, as well as the first woman, to serve as a jurist in Wisconsin.
- ^ Schulte, Laura (2020-12-28). "Statue of Vel Phillips, Wisconsin's first Black female Secretary of State, could be placed on Capitol grounds as soon as summer 2021". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2020-12-28.