Dismas Becker

October 16, 1936 (age 74)

He had his name changed legally in 1986. In 1969, Becker became involved with the Review James Groppi, a fellow Catholic priest and activist leader in the city, in planning a demonstration at the State Capitol to demand action on welfare rights and school reform demands made by the state’s poorest communities. He arrived late to find that, led by Groppi, nearly a thousand activists from Milwaukee had occupied the State Assembly chamber and much of the rest of the Capitol. Groppi was arrested, leaving Becker the de facto leader of the protest. Becker proceeded to lead a protest on the lawn of the capitol several days later, at which he was beaten by a police officer In 1972 Becker helped to edit and publish a book giving voice to the poor women of the city: Welfare Mothers Speak Out: We Ain"t Gonna Shuffle Anymore, the same year that he left his religious Order and the priesthood. He later went on to run for state office, becoming elected and serving in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1977 until 1989. He was the Majority Leader in the Assembly for the Democratic Party in the mid-1980s. Becker died of cancer on September 19, 2010.

Dismas Becker

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politician

Education

He graduated from Saint Francis Seminary, becoming ordained a priest in 1964, and later earned a Master"s degree in Sociology from Marquette University.

Career

He had his name changed legally in 1986. In 1969, Becker became involved with the Review James Groppi, a fellow Catholic priest and activist leader in the city, in planning a demonstration at the State Capitol to demand action on welfare rights and school reform demands made by the state’s poorest communities.

He arrived late to find that, led by Groppi, nearly a thousand activists from Milwaukee had occupied the State Assembly chamber and much of the rest of the Capitol.

Groppi was arrested, leaving Becker the de facto leader of the protest. Becker proceeded to lead a protest on the lawn of the capitol several days later, at which he was beaten by a police officer

In 1972 Becker helped to edit and publish a book giving voice to the poor women of the city: Welfare Mothers Speak Out: We Ain"t Gonna Shuffle Anymore, the same year that he left his religious Order and the priesthood. He later went on to run for state office, becoming elected and serving in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1977 until 1989.

He was the Majority Leader in the Assembly for the Democratic Party in the mid-1980s.

Becker died of cancer on September 19, 2010.

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Dismas Becker

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