Milwaukee Pastor Warns of Racial Tensions Echoing 1960s

Rev. Joe Ellwanger, a civil rights veteran, sees parallels between current events and the struggles he faced 60 years ago.

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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The Rev. Joe Ellwanger, a 93-year-old Milwaukee pastor, has a stark warning about the racial tensions he sees emerging in the country today. Ellwanger worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for integration in Birmingham, Alabama, and later marched with civil rights leaders for voting rights in Selma. He says the current climate of bigotry and hatred is very similar to what he experienced 60 years ago.

Why it matters

Ellwanger's firsthand experience provides a unique perspective on the ongoing struggle for racial justice and equality in America. His warnings about history potentially repeating itself underscore the need for continued vigilance and action to address systemic racism and white supremacy.

The details

Ellwanger, who is white, was a key figure in the civil rights movement of the 1960s. He worked alongside Dr. King in Birmingham and participated in the historic Selma to Montgomery marches. Now in his 90s, Ellwanger sees disturbing parallels between the current climate of racial tensions and the struggles he faced decades ago.

  • Ellwanger worked with Dr. King in Birmingham in the early 1960s.
  • Ellwanger marched with civil rights leaders in Selma in 1965.

The players

Rev. Joe Ellwanger

A 93-year-old Milwaukee pastor who was a key figure in the civil rights movement of the 1960s, working alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and marching for voting rights in Selma.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

A prominent leader in the African-American civil rights movement from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968.

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What they’re saying

“Racial tensions now are very similar to those I faced 60 years ago in Birmingham.”

— Rev. Joe Ellwanger (jsonline.com)

The takeaway

Ellwanger's firsthand experience as a white civil rights activist in the 1960s provides a sobering reminder that the struggle for racial justice is an ongoing battle, and that the country must remain vigilant against the resurgence of white supremacy and systemic racism.