Groppi Leads March Again: James E. Groppi, a militant white Roman Catholic priest, led hundreds of clapping, chanting Civil Rights marchers in Milwaukee's seventh demonstration in as many days. He vowed to continue the protests indefinitely if needed. "We want an open housing ordinance, and we want the police to dismiss charges against our arrested brother and sisters," he shouted during a 15-minute rally at St. Boniface Catholic Church. Then Groppi, along with black comedian Dick Gregory and his wife and two children, led a march toward downtown. Groppi is pictured here checking on an injured youth.

James E. Groppi (1930-1985) was a Roman Catholic priest and noted Civil Rights activist based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In his capacity as NAACP advisor, Groppi organized an all-black male group called the Milwaukee Commandos. They were formed to protect marchers and help quell violence during Freedom Marches. With the NAACP Youth Council, Groppi mounted a lengthy, continuous demonstration against the city of Milwaukee on behalf of fair housing. Throughout this period, he received support from human rights activists like Dick Gregory and Martin Luther King, Jr. Though Groppi was denigrated and arrested on numerous occasions for standing firm in his beliefs, he was instrumental in dramatizing the segregated housing situation in Milwaukee.

On verso: newspaper caption with date stamp affixed.

Wire photographs were originally transmitted over phonelines, then later, by satellite. They were first used in the early 1920s. Associated Press became a leader with this. After pigment touch-ups, etc., the print is put into a drum (like a drum scanner). The image gets converted into audio tones that are transmitted. The tones are received and beamed onto photo-sensitive paper. Wire photographs are copies without originals---they are hybrid, transmitted objects. (Britt Salvesen, Curator and Department Head, Photography Department, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, March 30-31, 2022)

This object has the following keywords:

• Civil Rights Movements
• Demonstrations
• Dick Gregory
• Father James Groppi
• Father James Groppi
• Housing
• Injury
• Injustice
• Lillian Gregory
• Milwaukee
• Racial Discrimination
• St. Boniface Church

• Overall Dimensions: 5 7/16 x 6 5/8 in. (13.81 x 16.83 cm) Measured by Cornejo-Reynoso, Aitzin