This Be Seen episode features the story of Donna Burkett and her then-partner, Manonia Evans — the first lesbian couple to seek a marriage in Milwaukee County. When denied, they filed a lawsuit in federal court, received extensive media coverage but ultimately lost their case.
Michail Takach, curator at Wisconsin LGBTQ+ History Project, shares the narrative behind this story with archival audio from Burkett, courtesy of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries, and reaction from Wisconsin ACLU Legal Director Larry Dupuis.
