The Milwaukee Urban League has partnered with Light the Hoan to illuminate the Daniel Hoan Memorial Bridge in red, black and green in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, on Monday, Jan. 18.
The colors – which will glow from 4 p.m. until 2 a.m. – represent the pan-African flag, which symbolizes the African diaspora and Black liberation.
You can also view the lights remotely on a Facebook Live from 9 to 9:15 p.m. here.
“We’re excited to partner with the Milwaukee Urban League for MLK Day,” said Ian Abston, co-founder of Light the Hoan, in a statement.
“This initiative has always been about more than just lights on a bridge. We are happy to shine light on this amazing organization in the community during these important times.”
In 2020, the Milwaukee Urban League celebrated 100 years of working, in its own words, "to lead and position African Americans in greater forms of education, employment and advocacy remain the same as we enter a new decade."
“We are truly appreciative to the Hoan committee for selecting us to bring light to one of the city’s iconic landmarks,” said Milwaukee Urban League President and CEO Dr. Eve M. Hall.
“This collective effort honors the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and will highlight programming that compliments his work and ours as a community-based organization.”
To learn more about the Milwaukee Urban League and its initiatives that include offering GED and career path initiatives, virtual driver's ed classes and virtual employment opportunities visit tmul.org.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
