Working for social justice since 1853, the Milwaukee Turners are the oldest civic group in the city, dedicated to strengthening our community based on the ideal of a "Sound Mind in a Sound Body." The Milwaukee Turners have a long history of civic engagement - originally founded by German immigrants and refugees (the “48ers”), Turners helped start the first kindergartens in the country, fought against Confederate slavers and nazis, and were early abolitionists and suffragists. 

Today, we offer nonpartisan civic educational programs, and teach rock climbing, gymnastics, and emotional and physical wellness from Turner Hall, a National Historic Landmark in downtown Milwaukee. 

Confronting Mass Incarceration is one of the cornerstones of the Milwaukee Turners, and is woven through everything we do - from intentionality in hiring practices, to our programming and community partners. We offer programs specifically tailored for criminal legal system impacted community members, advise on policy and advocacy work, and host public educational forums around confronting mass incarceration. The Milwaukee Turners are dedicated to building a world that repairs the harms of the carceral system and affirms justice and human dignity over punishment, and to a future with Zero Youth Corrections.