Marvin Pratt is a former Milwaukee alderman and Common Council president.
He was the first Black person to serve as acting mayor of Milwaukee when he was sworn in on Jan. 2, 2004, following the sudden resignation of Mayor
John Norquist. He served until shortly after the election in April of that year, when
Pratt also served as interim Milwaukee County Executive from Feb. 4 to April 25, 2011, after being appointed by County Board President
Lee Holloway. He’s the only person to have served in both roles.
Harambee: “To pull together”
The neighborhood of Harambee, located between North Avenue and Keefe Avenue (or Capital Drive, depending on whom you ask) and Holton Street to Seventh Street was named after the Swahili word meaning “to pull together” or “to come together and pull.”