Records of a federally funded project conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
(UWM) to promote the humanities to the general public, largely compiled or created by
Frederick I. Olson, last executive director of the program. The collection contains
accounting, budget, and other financial records; correspondence files; and grant files
concerning the National Endowments for the Humanities (NEH). The correspondence files
contain letters to and from the executive director with NEH and UWM officials, and
Milwaukee's historical community documenting program funding and activities. The community
board's meeting files contain minutes documenting its focus on NEH funding, project
development, bylaws, and budget reports. The minutes provide insight into the objectives of
the program and the role of board members. The program's oral history and film projects,
which focused on the history of Milwaukee's people, products, and geographic areas are well
documented in the collection.
Files regarding the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
contain grant proposals and reports. The proposals are general overviews of projects being
developed, funding requests, material on awards to the Milwaukee Humanities Program, and
notification from the NEH that funding had been cut off. Letters include financial summaries
to NEH explaining how grant money was spent.
The files of Xavier Baron and Frederick I. Olson document their
duties as executive director of the program. Baron's files consist of materials regarding
committees, correspondence, mailings, proposals, grants, meetings, projects, budgets,
objectives, and program origins. Olson's file mainly consists of correspondence concerning
projects and program phase-out.
Project Material files include correspondence and black and
white photographs regarding community projects, including "Cultural Milwaukee," "Milwaukee
Self-Portrait," "Milwaukee Women," "Retirement in Milwaukee," and "Photo Bus." The project
files include information on its director, objectives, procedures, and research
subjects.
Program files contain correspondence regarding evaluation
reports, phase out plans, public relations information, reports to the National Endowment
for the Humanities, and project ideas and materials.
Publication files contain published material sponsored by the
program. Publications filed include Bay View, WI.; Become a Humanist; Milwaukee,
Milwaukee; Milwaukee Women Today; Milwaukee Women Yesterday; and The West
End. The files also contain an unpublished manuscript entitled Riverwest.
Community Board Meeting files document the minutes and members
present at seven meetings. The meetings focused on NEH funding, project development, bylaws,
and budget reports. The minutes provide insight into the objectives of the program and the
role of board members.
The Correspondence files mainly document the roles of the
executive directors, board members, authors, film-makers, and supporting staff concerning
funding, objectives, and projects of the program. Additional correspondence regards the
connection of directors of local historical agencies to the program. A small amount of
correspondence between the program and local, state, and federal representatives is also
included. These files make up the bulk of the collection and are found under personal or
organizational name.
Files concerning "Milwaukee, Milwaukee" (a television series)
are found under that name or are identified by a "(TV)" mark after the folder title. They
document the interviews and specials produced. Interview materials contain information on
the interviewee and questions asked by the interviewer. Files regarding specials usually
include subject information and a transcript of topics covered. Single files contain
production information on thirty-minute programs dedicated to subjects like Milwaukee's
early newspapers, inventors, jazz music, historic restaurants, prehistoric climate, and the
lake.
Sixty-four audio tapes document the following: Milwaukee Humanities Program staff meetings,
miscellaneous topics, public service announcements, the Retirement project, and the Riverwest oral history project. Twenty-one slides showing the
Milwaukee Self-Portrait exhibit are found under
"Miscellaneous Audio Tapes and Slides" in box 5. Lastly, two videocassettes are included in
the collection. They are entitled Aging is the Art of Living
and Milwaukee, Milwaukee.
