William S. Gooden Archives

A fond farewell and deepest thank you

July 7, 2022

By William S. Gooden The Milwaukee Times On Friday, June 17, 2022, I received an email from Rev. Judith T. Lester regretting to inform myself and the staff of the Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper that she had been dealing with a health issue since May and would no longer be able to continue her weekly… [Read More]

John Lewis marches on: The Congressman’s visit to Marquette

July 23, 2020

By Wyatt Massey with intro by William S. Gooden During his long and illustrious career, Representative John Lewis has received many prestigious awards for his work as a civil right leader and a U.S. Congressman. But one very special award in August 2014 brought the distinguished icon to Milwaukee, to welcome the class of 2018,… [Read More]

1967 Clifford McKissick murder shows how little things have changed

June 4, 2020

By William Scott Gooden By the end of the day on Tuesday, May 26, 2020, many people in this city and all over the country knew the name of George Floyd. The 44-year-old was arrested by police outside a shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota. One of the officers, Derek Chauvin, leaned on his neck for nine… [Read More]

This Memorial Day we should remember the African Americans who have fought on the frontlines, including in the war against COVID-19

May 21, 2020

By William S. Gooden Memorial Day commemorates the men and women who died while in the military service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. In other words, the purpose of Memorial Day is to pay tribute to veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice… [Read More]

Ron Husband: The Story of Disney’s First Black Animator

February 20, 2020

By William Gooden Who was the first African American Disney animator? Most Disney geeks, like myself, will answer “Floyd Norman” and until a few weeks ago, I would have said the same thing. However, I am wrong (and you probably are, too). While Floyd Norman did work for Disney animation, he was never technically an… [Read More]

Fifteen easy and festive ideas for Thanksgiving decorations

November 15, 2018

By William S. Gooden Every year millions of Americans face the same dilemma. You are having a house full of people for Thanksgiving weekend. And your home looks far from warm and inviting and you are far from an interior design whiz. Fear not; with a few simple ideas and a little creativity you can… [Read More]

Franklin Armstrong: How two friends changed America’s most beloved comic strip and broke barriers at the same time

August 2, 2018

By William S. Gooden Special for the Milwaukee Times On July 31, 1968, a young, black man was reading the newspaper when he saw something that he had never seen before. With tears in his eyes, he started running and screaming throughout the house, calling for his mom. He would show his mom and she… [Read More]