Catholic priest and civil rights activist; born and lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; advocated civil rights in Milwaukee, especially on the issue of open housing; fought for welfare reform and  Native American rights; protested the Vietnam War; influenced by Martin Luther King Jr., after meeting him in Montgomery, Alabama.

An article on Fr. Groppi's Milwaukee work, including a short biography, appeared in the Summer 2007 issue of the Wisconsin Magazine of History (here).

The Wisconsin Historical Society has manuscripts related to this topic. See the catalog description of the James Groppi Papers for details.

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[Source: American national biography (New York : Oxford University Press, 1999)American national biography / general editors, John A. Garraty, Mark C. Carnes. Publisher: New York : Oxford University Press, 1999. Description: 24 v. ; 26 cm. Cover title: A N B Contents: v. 9. Gilbert-Hand; pps 652-53]