MILWAUKEE — An incredible recognition for an incredible woman. That's the goal family and friends of Josephine Hill have as they fight to have her legacy remembered for years to come.
"She has to be acknowledged and remembered," said Connell Adams, Josephine's son-in-law.
Recently, Josephine's family applied to have the Milwaukee Common Council consider her for their honorary street name program. The program allows the name of a prominent person in the city to be added to an existing street name. Her family's goal? To have West Vilet Street, between North 30th and North 31st streets, named after Josephine.
"She represents our community. We want her name right there," said Adams.
But it's where Josephine's honorary street name would be that's so significant. It's the street where the Wisconsin African American Women's Center is located. A non-profit Josephine co-founded to help aspiring entrepreneurs.
"Josephine is the type of person that would give you a break on your rent, she would allow you to host your events there free of charge," said Josephine's cousin, Lynda Jackson Conyers. "A number of Black women have opened up a business after coming to her and starting their business in that building."
The soon-to-be 80-year-old has volunteered at the center for more than two decades and still continues to do so every day, mentoring, empowering, and encouraging young men and women of color.
"She believes in you, she helps you with your dream," said Conyers. "She did that for hundreds of young people."
"A center like that helps the whole community," said Adams.
And with her name added to the street where she's helped change so many lives, her family believes her story and the impact she had on the city will be remembered forever.
"People will come afterward, behind her, and say I know Josephine, and she did this and she did that. She helped me. She counseled me. She supported me. She assisted me. She loved me. And she made a difference in my life. And that's the reason why she is deserving of this recognition," said Conyers.
The Milwaukee Common Council's Citizen Advisory Committee will meet on Wednesday, July 5 at 9:30 a.m. to consider Josephine and three other nominees for their honorary street name program.
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