Mission Statement
Bronzeville Histories Institute (BHI) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the research and education of the history of communities. Our mission is to research, document, and educate underserved communities. We do this through partnerships with public and private institutions and by acquiring funding from resource agencies interested in the improvement of education and digital scholarship.
Our Story
Bronzeville Histories Institute is a team of historians, educators and community participants in collaboration with universities, schools and cities discovering the history of community. We utilize modern technology and creativity in bringing enthusiasm to the process of discovery.
Meet the Team
Co-Director
Patricia Diggs
Patricia Diggs is a communication specialist with 25 years’ experience in television, radio and public relations Los Angeles and Washington DC. She gained her broadcast experience in Los Angeles and in Washington DC as Senior Media /Marketing Executive at Tucker McKenzie a communications firm developing corporate, non-profit and national association accounts for the National Educational Associations, the Smithsonian Institute, Washington Post, Presidential Convention and Presidential Inaugural Committee. Ms. Diggs received a White House invitation for young professionals to participate in briefings on policies and initiatives and was honored at the United States Marshals’ Diversity Program. Ms. Diggs has traveled to Spain and Italy on various writing assignments and project developments.
In Milwaukee she created the Publishers Group, which published Bronzeville A Milwaukee Lifestyle and produced an MPTV documentary entitled "Punching In." The Publisher Group received a proclamation from the City for its historical initiatives on the Milwaukee Bronzeville community. She continues to develop media projects and forums in Washington DC
and Los Angeles
Co-Director
Kitonga Alexander PhD
Kitonga Alexander, a Milwaukee native, taught elementary, middle, and high school students in Milwaukee for 11 years. He coordinated the Welcome Home Project, a program designed to reduce recidivism by working directly with citizens returning to the Milwaukee community from incarceration. He has a bachelor’s degree in Africology, a master’s degree in Business-Management, and a PhD in History. Kitonga’s research interests are African American migration, revolts and uprisings within the African Diaspora, and African American cultural identity. He created the Walk of Truth Journey, a guided social expedition that participants returning to the community from incarceration take to develop individual productivity plans. For his commitment to service, he received the first annual TMJ4 Positively Milwaukee Award for teaching and facilitating. Kitonga is a member of the Living for the City Project, a research collaborative between Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee researching class dynamics in Milwaukee. He serves on the Victory Garden Initiative Board and is the board president of City School, a private school in Milwaukee that educates predominantly African American students. As the founder of the organization UPP (United for Progress and Productivity), Kitonga is committed to establishing strong community relationships, with the aspirations of networking an array of resources for Milwaukee community members as they navigate their collective and individual journeys.