Milwaukee hosts NAACP convention

MILWAUKEE, July 9 (UPI) -- Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett welcomed 10,000 people drawn to the city Saturday by the NAACP convention.

"It's a big party, and everyone's coming to our home," Barrett said.

The convention gives Milwaukee business owners a chance to show what they can do. Pat Chisom, owner of City Heritage Tours, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel many people are not aware that Milwaukee, generally known for its German breweries, has a black culture.

Yinka Adedokun, owner of the African Hut restaurant, told the newspaper he has hired extra staff and bought extra supplies to handle the expected crowds of diners.

People coming for the convention of the nation's oldest civil rights organization include political celebrities like U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., Jesse Jackson and entertainment legends Dick Gregory, Gladys Knight and Harry Belafonte.