Black Reality Celebrates 55th at UWM, Enrollment Rate

When the fall semester was ending, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with his Bachelor of Science degree in Community Engagement and Education.

Two decades after he dropped out of college at 19 and years after being in public office 20 years ago now, he is 38. He was juggling many hats as a father, husband, public officicial, and student. He spoke about accomplishing this long-overdue goal as the keynote speaker at the UWM commencement ceremony. He became Milwaukee’s youngest, and first African American, county executive in 2020.

As Crowley paused his education to pursue a different path but without the structure of higher education, he began to find himself.

Crowley returned to campus as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Department of African and African Diaspora Studies celebrated the 55^th anniversary of Black Reality at UWM. On Feb.26, 2025, from 3 to 5 PM in the UWM Union Ballroom.

The celebration included recent UWM graduate Crowley, UWM Chancellor Mark Mone, an alumni panel of African and African Diaspora studies, and keynote speaker Dr. Martha Biondi, all of whom were at the celebration. This department critically examines the cultures, societies, and politics, economies of people of African origin and their descent, and exposes students to today’s issues. The alumni panel talks about their class and the AADS on how they think of the world from the course.

 “This is one of the very first programs of its kind, in the nation, and it grew out of a civil rights a series of civil rights struggles that took place in Milwaukee and across the nation throughout the 50s, 60s, and 70s. These were formative years,” said Mark Mone, UWM Chancellor.

The keynote speech was presented by Dr. Martha Biondi, Lorraine H. Morton professor of Black Studies and Professor of History at Northwestern University. She replaced the original keynote speaker, Dr. Mary Pattillo. Dr Biondi, author of The Black Revolution on campus.

“Black studies began its modern life in the academy over 50 years ago, the study of the culture, politics, and history of Black people,” said Biondi in her speech.

“This department has been a pillar of scholarship empowerment and truth-telling, not only for this campus but let’s be honest for our entire community,” said David Crowley in his speech.

This Department of African and African Diaspora significantly impacts the promotion of social justice by critically examining historical narratives and current issues affecting African Americans and connecting theory with practice. When you take these classes at UWM, you take a black reality class.

In previous years, the enrollment rate for Black students coming to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has been low. According to a study by College Factual, roughly 5.4% of the enrollment rate for Black or African-American students is 1,602. Compared to recent years, the number of Black students enrolled at UWM has been decreasing.

In 2022, UWM had 22,676 students enrolled and an acceptance rate of 86.3%, which is lower than the acceptance rate of 2021, which was 89%. According to Data USA, between 2021 and 2022, the number of applications grew by 13.4% annually. UWM had approximately 1,551 African American students enrolled between the fall semesters of 2021 and 2022.

In the UW system, 1,214 students at UW-Madison are black, compared to UW-Milwaukee, 1,484 of the students were Black from 2020 to 2024 according to Wisconsin Education. In the other demographics, In American Indian at UW-Madison, there are 134 American Indians compared to UWM 75 American Indians who attend UWM. Asian students, there are 3,430 who attend UW-Madison and at UWM there are 768 Asian students enrolled. The enrollment of students that are Hispanic/Latino enrollment of them are 3,529 student enrollments in this demographic of students at UW-Madison compared to UWM 2,740 according to Wisconsin education reports.