Photo Credit: Juan Miguel Martinez
Lindbergh Park in Milwaukee sits a few blocks from the zooming cars on Atkinson Avenue, behind the old Keefe Avenue School. It is surrounded by houses that face the park, and many people see it as a symbol of nostalgia as well as their home.
An effort is underway to rename the park, named after American aviator Charles Lindbergh. The Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, a grassroots community organization in Milwaukee since 1973, is spearheading this effort. They are circulating a petition to rename the park after civil rights organizer and Milwaukee freedom fighter Lucille Berrien.
It was a blustery afternoon on April 24 when the MAARPR held a press conference in Lindbergh Park, making an impassioned case as to why the park should be renamed. Berrien, age 93, was present, surrounded by former collaborators as well as the people who re-initiated MAARPR after a period of dormancy in 2020. Berrien was a longtime activist, organizer, and the first Black woman to run for mayor of Milwaukee. She also acted as bodyguard for Angela Davis when she appeared in our city to speak.
The corner of 16th and Nash where the park sits and the surrounding area is a predominantly Black neighborhood, and a hub for children’s and community activities. “Charles Lindbergh was a Nazi sympathizer and white supremacist, information that was revealed years after he flew the Spirit of St. Louis in 1927. Lucille Berrien is a longtime resident of not only Milwaukee but of 18th and Nash,” said organizer Brian Verdin.
Milwaukee’s Freedom Fighters
“There are many freedom fighters in Milwaukee that have gone unnoticed, mostly the Black women who stood up for everyone and gave others space to walk,” said Verdin whose mother, Beverly Verdin, worked closely in the ‘60s and ‘70s, with Vel Phillips and Marcy Coggs. Priscilla Coggs-Jones, granddaughter to Marcy Coggs and Supervisor of Milwaukee's 10th district, also spoke. “We have had great feedback from the neighborhood, and many people have been supportive,” she said. “Sometimes it can be difficult because a lot of people identify with the name of this park already. There have been people that have shown me tattoos that say Lindbergh, an homage to the park,” she added.
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Berrien has long been involved in fights against police brutality, cases which are sadly still relevant today “Lucille was very involved in organizing marches when Ernest Lacy and Frank Jude Jr. were murdered at the hands of police,” Verdin said. “I first met her in her campaign for welfare rights, where she demanded fair wages for women.” Berrien has been a major figure in the history of Milwaukee civil rights, organizing protests that ranged from the Vietnam War to the Free South Africa movement. She has been active in children’s welfare and has provided homes for over 180 children throughout her life.
“The least we can do is show how she is appreciated and naming this park after her is the most symbolic way to do that,” said an organizer for MAARPR. “Our youth need us today more than ever.”
