Making of Milwaukee

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5-Part Documentary Lack Authenticity

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Wednesday, December 26, 2007

This is a SPECIAL PAGE devoted to the discovery and writings by CEO Glass on “exclusive” research/findings of “Making of Milwaukee”.

“The 5-part documentation is a ‘travesty’ and must be further explored, exposed, challenged and re-defined because of a lack of respect for Milwaukeeans of Color, lack of inclusion of Milwaukeeans of Color; and, lack of authenticity by virtue of the name and its insidious effect on anyone who view or read it.

It is especially injurious to Milwaukeeans - past and present, of Color.

Preliminary discover show that there is a 162-page guide prepared by educators from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Whitefish Bay and Milwaukee Public Schools; that will perpetuate this falsehood to school students.

Why would People of Color want this to be taught to their children?

Why would fair-minded and forward-thinking people publish this type of insensitive and uninclusive information?

Why would a Milwaukee Historian allow his name to be linked to this type of discriminating documentation?

Why would so many people allow it to be created and published?

Why would so many people, if they did not know, once known, not convey their outrage?

Where were the African Americans, Latinos, Asians, and American Indians that are on/chairing committees, on/chairing boards, heads of organizations, with foundations, in elected positions that knew of this OR should have known of this travesty speak up and not be party to this travesty?

A opportunity of “correctness” is OUR challenge. I look forward to hearing from you and making the correction with your assistance.

We will seek the answers to the above questions over the next 30 days and report back in a full report for Black History Month in February.

5-Year Signature Plan
Making of Milwaukee, An Inclusive Initiative has been added to CN-CFNBA 5-Year Signature Plan.

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The documentary is: “Making of Milwaukee” presented on Milwaukee Public Television, Channel 10; and, produced by the team:

 	Bill Werner, John Gurda, Claudia Looze and Maurice Wininsky.

Making of Milwaukee

Shame on MPTV, Documentation Shows Scant Mention of People of Color, speaks to inherent racism and marginalizing of African Americans and others of color

Mary Glass - Milwaukeean
Published:
December 20, 2007

Channel 10 – Public Television
Milwaukee, WI

Team:
Bill Werner – Executive Producer
John Gurda – Producer
Claudia Looze – Producer
Maurice Wininsky – Music Composer and Arranger

Milwaukee, Wisconsin – The acclaimed “Making of Milwaukee”, seen on Milwaukee Public Television, Channel 10 is a huge disappointment.

Not seen
As I watched the frames go by to capture what has happened in Milwaukee, I kept waiting to see my people and other races. What I saw were frames and frames of Caucasians.

As an African American I became more and more resentful of this in-your-face injustice to the men and women of my race and others who help create this city. Who worked day and night under severe conditions of denied education, minimum and denied employment, segregation, nepotism, exploitation of funding, denial of rights and unfairness (just as today) to put food on the table, raise their family and dare to dream to enjoy the opportunities those paraded in the documentary were able to do.

It is as if African Americans and other People of Color were/are “invisible” and have not contributed to the making of Milwaukee. It is the systematic denial of our rightful place in history. It is a perfect example of the inherent racism that exist now and in the past. It also says much about those who have their chest stuck out for misplaced accolades. As well as, those who have not stepped forward to call for the truth and shout, “outrage”.

For the record
For the record, the real “Making of Milwaukee” is not a 100% Caucasian effort. And, it has not been such a warm fuzzy and congruent environment. Unlike John Gruda moving from the first house of humble beginnings to a more spacious dwelling, I submit it has been hell for African Americans, even though they have been the ones that have often carried a disproportionate line-share of building this city.

In the hit-and-miss documentation, our contributions were often minuscule and unflattering scenes.

It fail to show clips with depth of varied input that includes African American men building City Hall, heads of household building and caring for family ties, professional exchanges, richness of Bronzeville (and the lack of movement now to restore it), the input in building the breweries and other manufacturing industries (once Caucasians allowed us to work), neighborhoods built (once allowed to get housing), sports leadership (but denied civil rights), accomplishments of many giants such as the Johnsons (tailors and entrepreneurs) who created the first North side Y for children (since segregation prevented use of public spaces); and, on and on.

It showed the limited documentation by journalists like John Gurda of the input of People of Color, by the Milwaukee Public Library or the other depositories in town that hold history.

The sacrifices made by African American hard working heads of household were often comprised; as with the robbing and displacement of their homes for freeways and the like. Yet they were not given credit in the, Making of Milwaukee.

Whether it was the dictatorial and racist politics to/through the depression, scant mention, if any, was found of my people. And where there were more than one or two frames, there was not the substance and reasoning put in place to explain behavior. A glaring example was the efforts mentioned by Alderwoman Vel Phillips (first African American, first woman), Father Groppi or the 1967 riot. By doggy, I take issue with that.

Another “telling” time was “no mention” of Ex-Mayor Marvin Pratt. A man who gave 16 years to serving Milwaukee and prior to his position of mayor, he was Milwaukee’s Common Council President.

There is no way, Gurda, Werner, Looze and Wininsky would have allowed a documentary to be filmed if it had been a Caucasian. But, whether they would or not, if you are telling the truth, if you are giving authentic and inclusive facts, you can not overlook these historic points. I take issue with that.

Lack integrity
It is outrageous that a five-part series is put on the “public airwaves”, funded by so many foundations and organizations; and, paraded as authentic. The series was underwritten by:

• Greater Milwaukee Foundation

        Halbert & Alice Kadish Fund
        Paddock Fund
        Luedke-Smith Fund
        Otto Borchert Family Fund
        Catherine & Walter Lindsay Fund

• Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation
• Koeppen-Gerlach Foundation
• Faye McBeath Foundation
• Northwestern Mutual Foundation
• David & Julia Uihlein Charitable Foundation
• We Energies
• Joseph & Vera Zilber Foundation
• Pollybill Foundation
• Douglas & Eleanor Seaman Trust
• CG Schmidt
• And by the MPTV Friends.

The finish product is an example of how it is so important to have “informed”, “outspoken” and “decision making” People of Color at the table all the time.

John Gurda is often referred to for his knowledge of being a historian.

Based on what I saw, he is very lacking in the history of Milwaukee and I challenge his efforts now and in the future to represent all Milwaukeeans, especially People of Color; otherwise, forget authenticity.

How could you stand for a document to be shown that gave little to no mention of People of Color? Even though there are disjointed mentions/photos to infer that American Indians, African Americans, Hmong were depicted significantly.

It would appear to me that Gurda, historian, would have done his homework. Knowing the history of this city and how time-after-time it is known for its racial disparities, you would have sought to share a broader and more accurate depiction of “Making Milwaukee”.

I feel the presentation is/was a glorified picture of how single-handedly Caucasians made Milwaukee.

Because the truth was not told, it was a condoning of the segregation, glorified racist acts by the late police chief, displacement of African Americans, denial of rights that lead to the riot; elected officials who commandeered funds that belonged to People of Color and today is still in play.

What could have been a tribute to Milwaukee in a right and more complete way was not given.

At best, the producers were “negligent” and provided an “irresponsible documentation” that will be shared with our present generation and generations to come; thereby, continuing a lie.

Public libraries are supported by all.
This document and/or John Gurda’s book is linked with Milwaukee Public Library and is tied into an online presentation to schools and educators.

Milwaukeeans, People of Color and Caucasians, have had enough distorted truths.

It is one of the reasons that we have the racial divide. Why would People of Color want their children to see or be taught the distorted presentations in “Making Milwaukee”? Why would they want the Milwaukee Public Library and Milwaukee Public Schools to distribute it as legitimate?

Tax dollars to support something that does not share their contributions and misrepresent them?

John Gurda has had special marketing privilege of his book by the exclusives shared at taxpayers’ expense in his book being placed on MPL website and shared at a special time at the public libraries.

Accountability
As an African American taxpayer of Milwaukee, I challenge Milwaukee Public Television, a service of Milwaukee Area Technical College (funded by government dollars) and those that have responsibility for monitoring correctness (MATC Board and Dr. Darnell Cole), Milwaukee Public Library Board, Milwaukee Public Library decision making staff, Alderman Joe Davis and the oversight committee for Milwaukee Public Library, Mayor Tom Barrett, Milwaukee Public School Board, Superintendent William Andrekopolos, Milwaukee Teachers Education Association, and State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster to take a look at this travesty.

I also challenge Bill Werner – Executive Producer, John Gurda – Producer, Claudia Looze – Producer, Maurice Wininsky – Music Composer and Arranger to see how they can correct this misrepresentation.

I challenge YOU Milwaukee and the named foundations and organizations that provided funding to see that the correction is made.

I will be back.

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