The Biographies

This community builder made Milwaukee his home, and brought people together by building the first mosque in the area open to all.

This agricultural chemist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison made some all-star discoveries and scored major points with the Babcock Test, totally changing the dairy industry game.

The words this strong and determined pioneer put to paper about her life in what would become Wisconsin opened a window into the past.

Not afraid to stand up for what he believed in, this member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa dedicated himself to protecting the rights and lands of First Nations people in Wisconsin.

From New York to Neenah, this industrious innovator’s journey to becoming a leader in the paper products world was marked by his commitment to serving his community and country.

This courageous justice seeker’s path would take her from Milwaukee to Germany, where belief in equal rights would lead her to join the resistance working against Hitler and the Nazis.

This fly fishing phenom didn’t let her line get tangled up in the stereotypes of women of her time. She used her passion for fly fishing to start a brilliant business that put Stevens Point on the map and gave women new work opportunities.

This freedom seeker traveled from St. Louis, Missouri to Racine, Wisconsin, and later to Canada, aided by abolitionists and the Underground Railroad. His story is part of a series of events that led to the declaration of the end of slavery in the United States.

Sick of struggling up steep hills on their bikes, these two gear heads jumped on the opportunity to improve the motorcycle, creating a business that became big in Wisconsin and around the world.

This activist and advisor didn’t let limiting ideas about what women could do —or uncomfortable corsets—confine her in her quest to get access to the ballot box and foster greater peace in the world.

From outdoor adventures in Clear Lake, to representing his community and his state in government, this down-to-earth visionary always kept his eyes on the environment to make a better world for us all.

Neither her dad’s disapproval, nor Northern Wisconsin weather would keep this determined doctor from practicing medicine. When a dream of building a hospital seemed out of reach, her community collected a million pennies to make it happen.

When the United States Government’s land grabs put his people in harm’s way, this Menominee leader pushed back and proposed a new plan to protect their homeland and way of life.

Getting his start at an early age, this music industry innovator from Waukesha made some serious (sound) waves with his inventions.

Upon learning about the school and housing discrimination happening in their hometown, these Milwaukee movers and shakers took action, making their case on the campaign trail, in the courtroom, and on the streets of their city.

This educator endured hardships and injustice to lift up Native and non-Native people through her generosity and guidance.

This educator carried teachings of Tibetan Buddhism with him from Tibet to the United States, and built a community for teaching and learning in southern Wisconsin.

From growing up in a mountain village in Laos, to leaving his home country after the Vietnam War, to making a new home in Eau Claire, this Hmong American leader became a cross-cultural connector in his community.

When this problem-solver learned that a landfill in her Sauk County community was closing much earlier than it should, she got to work. Her activism and effort ended up making big changes in plastics recycling.