2013: Our year in review: Urban Anthropology Inc.
Citywide/statewide programming (see details below)
- Studies
- Publishing for Southeastern Wisconsin
- Theatre
- Museum Exhibits and tours
- Lost Milwaukee tour
- Internship program/educational programming
- Ethnic newsletter
- Cultural Connect Program
- Genealogy services
- Documentaries
- UrbAn Anthropology Inc. in the media
- Best collaborations
Park Neighborhoods’ Programming (see details below)
- Healthy Neighborhoods
- Neighborhood opinion survey
- Beautifying the Park Neighborhoods
- Publishing on the Park Neighborhoods
- Old South Side days
- Family Tree Project
- Artist guild activities
- Block clubs/block watches
- Landlord organization
- Newsletter
- Lincoln Avenue cultural and architectural tour
- Best collaborations
CITY-WIDE ACTIVITIES
1. STUDIES. In 2013, UrbAn completed its 12-year study of 65 Milwaukee ethnic groups), including 434 hour-long interviews (see more on this under Publications). Three new studies using UrbAn staff and interns were begun in 2013.
a. Bay View Places & Events. The Bay View study involved in-depth interviews with 50 long-time residents of Bay View. The purpose of the study was to discover the events and places that residents most valued in order to plan future projects. The results of the study can be seen on the UrbAn website at: www.urban-anthropology.org/DecJan2014_LR.pdf
b. Work ethic study. This study involves interviews with over 1200 Milwaukee residents from Southeast Asian, African, Eastern European/Russian, and Latino ethnic clusters. The purpose of the study is to find out if or how work ethics change between the first and fourth generation immigrant groups. The study will be done within three years.
c. Involved citizen study. This study looks at who volunteers in their community and why. It involves interviews with 400 residents, and will ultimately yield information on the kinds of people who make the most contributions to their community (e.g., Are they the most or least educated? Are they parents with children? Are they older adults? Are they people with an interest in art or politics or sports or current events or ethnicity or fashion, etc.?)
2. PUBLISHING FOR SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN In 2013, the book on the ethnic study mentioned above was published: American Ethnic Practices in the Twenty-first Century: The Milwaukee Study (Lexington Books). The book was recommended in Choice journal for academic libraries. In addition, UrbAn partnered with the Freeman family of Pennsylvania to bring a new publishing company to Milwaukee. It is called MECAH Publishing (Milwaukee Ethnic Collection of Arts and Humanities). MECAH will be publishing fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and documentaries that focus on Southeastern Wisconsin. A new mystery series, called the Tall House collection, began in 2013 under the MECAH label, by local anthropologist, Sienna Jacks. In 2014 UrbAn will partner with a number of local authors on a children’s book about Milwaukee ethnic groups. See these and other offerings at MECAHMilwaukee.com.
3. THEATRE. UrbAn began a theatre program in 2012. The first play, performed before a sold-out audience at the Basilica of St. Josaphat, was The March to Kosciuszko, a fictionalized account of families facing decisions during the Fair Housing Marches of the late 60s in Milwaukee. A new play, called The Follow Up, will be performed at the Basilica on February 21 at 7pm and February 22 at noon. The play is about the loss of several ethnic neighborhoods during the decades of urban renewal and freeway building, and how this affected the former residents of these neighborhoods. Play tickets can be purchased at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/547007
4. MUSEUM EXHIBITS AND TOURS. UrbAn continued to offer tours of our Old South Side Settlement Museum to residents far and wide in 2013. Organization staff gave over 300 tours on the September weekend of Doors Open Milwaukee. A new and very valuable photograph was added to our room collection last year. It is an original photograph of the Kosciuszko Reds—a storied baseball team that thrilled south siders between 1909 to 1919.
5. LOST MILWAUKEE TOUR. In 2013, UrbAn staff began the Lost Milwaukee bus tour, which takes interested participants by motor coach to places such as the now extinct community sites of past Indian villages, trading posts, the Jones Island fishing village, Bronzeville, and the Irish of the Third Ward. Over 100 individuals took this tour in 2013.
6. INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS/EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING. Since UrbAn began in 1998, we have had interns every semester, including summers. These are mainly anthropology students from local universities. The internship program has also drawn students from as far away as Hawaii and Germany. During 2013 we had twelve interns learn about Milwaukee cultures, research methods, and neighborhood organizing. They also participated in our current studies.
7. ETHNIC NEWSLETTER. In 2012, UrbAn began a listserv for leaders of ethnic organizations in Milwaukee County. From this listserv came a bimonthly newsletter called Milwaukee Ethnic News, which has grown exponentially over 2013. The newsletter began with 48 email subscribers and now is up to over 1,000.
8. CULTURAL CONNECT PROGRAM. UrbAn has a full curriculum for schools on nine cultural groups, including African Americans, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Irish, Hmong, Poles, Germans, Urban Indians, and the homeless. The curriculum includes documentary material presented by anthropologists of each group, written materials, “faceball” cards of cultural leaders, and handouts. UrbAn offers the curricula throughout the year. Our offerings this year extended into the Greendale school district.
9. GENEALOGY SERVICES. UrbAn staff and interns perform free genealogy services for any residents of Milwaukee. Included in the services is information about the cultural migration patterns and practices of the person’s ancestors. We conducted over thirty genealogies in 2012 and 2013.
10. DOCUMENTARIES. UrbAn has 15 documentaries created on ethnic groups and historic neighborhoods. While most of these have appeared at least once on PBS, the documentaries appear weekly on Milwaukee’s Channel 14. The documentaries can be accessed at: www.urban-anthropology.org/Docscurrent.html
11. URBAN ANTHROPOLOGY INC. IN THE MEDIA. Our organizational work was featured this year on John McGivern’s Around the Corner (PBS), Adelante (PBS), Milwaukee Neighborhood News (twice), and the Shepherd Express. See following links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPZkye1vIYQ
http://www.urban-anthropology.org/Old_south_Side.pdf
http://www.mptv.org/localshows/adelante/latest_episode/?v=qy2cRYQ1zjc
http://www.milwaukeenns.org/2013/07/26/history-comes-to-life-at-old-south-side-day-celebration/?cat=-12,-34,-3,-18
12. BEST COLLABORATIONS. The best collaborations for UrbAn’s city-wide projects were the Freeman family from PA in founding MECAH Publishing, and all the sensational ethnic organizations (too many to list) across the Greater Milwaukee area that helped us produce Milwaukee Ethnic News.
LOCAL PARK NEIGHBORHOODS’ PROGRAMMING
1. HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS INITIATIVE. As a member of Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s Healthy Neighborhoods’ Initiative, UrbAn provides daily neighborhood services to residents of the Park Neighborhoods including assistance finding homes, help with home repairs, conflict resolution, and coordinating the work of the police with residents. The 2013 boundaries of the Park Neighborhoods include all of the City’s NSP Historic South Side area, which is half of Bay View, some of Polonia, Lincoln Village, Baran Park, and the Forest Home Hills neighborhoods. While funding from the GMF is not what it once was, UrbAn remains extremely grateful for all the help that it has provided.
2. NEIGHBORHOOD OPINION SURVEY. Every other year, UrbAn staff conducts a door-to-door survey with two-hundred households in the Park Neighborhoods. In 2013, the survey also included a branding questionnaire, asking residents of Baran Park/Lincoln Village and Forest Home Hills what they wanted our organization to focus on in helping them in the future. Residents of Forest Home Hills wanted added youth programs for the future. This will be the focus of UrbAn staff in 2014, as we attempt to bring them an expanded Cultural Connect program and Scouts troupes. Residents from Baran Park and Lincoln Village wanted beautification projects to enhance the lovely parks and churches in their neighborhood. This will be the focus of UrbAn staff in 2014 (see below).
http://www.urban-anthropology.org/OctNov2013.pdf
3. NEIGHBORHOOD BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS. In 2013, UrbAn staff conceived of the Kosciuszko Circle project, which includes all the blocks surrounding Kosciuszko Park and 6th Street between Lincoln and Becher. In 2013, these elements were added:
a. New trees. UrbAn received a grant from the Sweet Water Foundation to add 10 new trees to Kosciuszko Park. These were planted in spring.
b. Totem poles. Through a grant from the NIDC, UrbAn and the South Side Artist Guild replaced the deteriorating tiles on the Youth Art Pillars at Kosciuszko Park and replaced these with lovely totem pole art that celebrates the largest ethnic groups in Lincoln Village/Baran park—the American Indians, Poles, Mexicans, Germans, Puerto Ricans, and African Americans.
In 2014, these elements will be added to the Kosciuszko Circle through a collaboration with the University Cooperative Extension:
a. Terra cotta planters filled with greens and flowers on the sidewalks of the Circle.
b. Little libraries designed to emulate the architecture of the area.
c. Front yard landscaping designed by the South Side Artist Guild and helped along by master gardeners.
d. Window flower boxes to match facades, where residents choose
4. PUBLISHING ON THE PARK NEIGHBORHOODS. UrbAn staff, through our Scholars Project, published the Arcadia book, called Milwaukee’s Old South Side this past year. The book chronicles the cultural history of this area from the time of early Polish settlement to today’s multicultural population, and includes nearly 200 historic photographs.
5. OLD SOUTH SIDE DAYS. In part to celebrate the publishing of Milwaukee’s Old South Side in February,UrbAn staff and collaborating organizationsof the Rozga Funeral Home, the Basilica of St. Josaphat, Morelia’s Market, and Ace Boxing Club sponsored a July day in Kosciuszko Park to celebrate the history of the area. Participants could move from tent to tent and meet present and past families and businesses while learning the important milestones in the history of the neighborhood and seeing cultural performances. UrbAn also participated in a second day on Old South Side history in November when the Restore the Monument Committee held a celebration to mark the return of the restored statue of General Kosciuszko.
6. FAMILY TREE PROJECT. Through this program, local residents contributed trees to Kosciuszko Park in honor of their ancestors. UrbAn was able to draw a second small grant from the Sweetwater Foundation in late 2012 to add 10 new trees in 2013. The total trees added through this program to date are 24. UrbAn also received news in late 2013 that a new grant has been approved that will enable us to add more trees in 2014.
7. ARTIST ACTIVITIES. UrbAn sponsors a Southside Artists and Writers Guild. This guild helped to set up three art spaces in the Park Neighborhoods—one at Harris Bank, one at Koscisuzko Community Center, and one at the Old South Side Settlement Museum. UrbAn features their works in a newsletter that is published online and in our literature boxes scattered throughout the Park Neighborhoods. In 2013, the Guild produced the beautiful totem art to replace the deteriorating Youth Art Pillars in Kosciuszko Park and designed all banners and flyers for Old South Side Day.
8. BLOCK CLUB/BLOCK WATCHES. UrbAn has helped residents organize over 30 block clubs in the Park Neighborhoods to control crime, watch over negligent landlords, and keep residents informed. UrbAn staff meets on average with 1-2 block clubs or the Milwaukee Police Department (District 2) each week when weather permits.
9. LANDLORD ORGANIZATION. Beginning late in 2011, UrbAn began developing a database of all absentee landlords in Baran Park and Lincoln Village. Through this database, staff invite landlords to participate in improving blocks and filling their units with community-contributing residents. Currently, 12 landlords participate.
10. NEWSLETTERS. UrbAn creates two neighborhood newsletters—one called the Park Neighborhoods’ newsletter and one the Artist Guild publication. Each is published bimonthly. The neighborhood newsletter focuses on the events, history, and people of the neighborhood. The newsletters are distributed over email and via hardcopy through our literature boxes throughout the area.
11. LINCOLN AVENUE ART AND ARCHITECTURE TOUR. In 2013 UrbAn staff continued to offer the neighborhood tour to interested individuals and groups. The tour is offered every other Saturday, during warm months, by reservation.
12. BEST COLLABORATIONS. In 2013, the collaborating organizations that most helped UrbAn realize its neighborhood goals were the University Cooperative Extension, the Bay View Neighborhood Association, the Kosciuszko Community Center, and the Basilica of St. Josaphat. The Rozga Funeral Home is a business that also continues to help Urban Anthropology and the entire neighborhood. Funding sources that were most responsible for the neighborhood work were the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, NIDC, Sweet Water Foundation, and the Helen Bader Foundation.
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