Mathilde Anneke was born in Germany in 1817 and moved to Milwaukee with her husband Fritz in 1849. Just three years later, Mathilde launched the first feminist newspaper in the United States called “German Women's Times.” The paper only employed female typsetters….which didn't sit well with everyone. Â An all-male typographers union eventually killed off the paper after just 7 months. But Mathilde then founded a girl's academy in 1865, where she taught until her death nearly 20 years later.Â
Beulah Brinton was a big advocate for immigrants and education. Born in 1836, Beulah read to and entertained the children of mill workers in Bay View where her husband acted as superintendent.. Not only did she lay the groundwork for what became the Bay View branch of the Milwaukee Public Library, she also served as a mid-wife to working families. The current home of the Bay View HIstorical Society, the Beulah Brinton House, still bears her name.Â
Golda Meir served in the Israeli government for many years, eventually as the 4th Prime Minister of Israel, from 1969-1974.  Born in 1898 in Russia, her family fled from there and emigrated to Milwaukee in 1905. Her activism began early. Golda started raising money for books for underprivileged children at age 10. After marrying and getting her teaching license, Golda and her husband moved to Palestine in 1921.Â
Vel Phillips grew up on Milwaukee's south side before attending Howard University in Washington and getting a law degree from UW-Madison, becoming the first black woman to do so. Vel returned to Milwaukee and became the first woman and first black member of the Milwaukee Common Council. In 1978 Phillips became the first woman and first woman of color to be elected as Wisconsin's Secretary of State. Vel was honored by the establishment of Vel R. Phillips Ave. which runs from Capitol Dr. to St. Paul Ave. in Milwaukee.