Despite pushback in recent years, the Wisconsin State Assembly moved to recognize February as Black History Month in a legislative meeting Wednesday morning, according to Wisconsin Public Radio.
2025 marks the first year since 2020 where Black History Month has been recognized during the month of February. The controversy regarding whether or not to pass resolutions and who to honor with them has been a common trend within Wisconsin legislation, according to MSN.
In 2018, the assembly faced disagreements over honorees while passing two resolutions and. In 2019, Republicans blocked Black legislators from honoring Milwaukee-born NFL player Colin Kaepernick. Kapernick faced conservative criticism for kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police misconduct, according to MSN.
2020 saw a resolution passed, but Rep. Scott Allen, R-Waukesha, received criticism for primarily recognizing white abolitionists, according to MSN.
In most recent years, there were similar disagreements regarding which citizens and historical figures to honor, so ultimately, no resolutions were passed, besides one in late March of 2023, according to WPR.
This year, the resolution aims to not only recognize prominent figures in Black history, but also 14 Black Wisconsinites who do important work for their communities every day as doctors, teachers, leaders and activists, according to the 2025 Senate Joint Resolution.
Many representatives used this motion to remind citizens of the ongoing importance of Black history within the broader American culture, according to MSN.
The official document for the resolution recognizes the complicated history regarding the treatment of Black people in the United States.
“People of African descent … have stories that are an inspiration to all citizens, that reflect the triumph of the human spirit,” the 2025 Senate Joint Resolution said.
This year, it emphasizes the contributions of citizens such as Samuel Coleman, a dedicated educator and advocate for equity in the Oshkosh Area School District, as well as Elisterine Clayton, a 100-year-old Milwaukee resident who, along with her husband Powell Clayton, was a part of building the historic Halyard Park community, according to the 2025 Senate Joint Resolution.
These recognitions not only highlight the importance of Black History Month, but they connect members of different communities around the state to represent Wisconsin and its culture as a whole, according to MSN.