Celebrating 250 years of independence through Milwaukee’s immigrant narratives

MILWAUKEE — This Fourth of July marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which created the United States of America.

In honor of that milestone, the Milwaukee County Historical Society is launching a new exhibit, “We the People: Milwaukee Stories of Immigration, Citizenship, and Community,” on June 12.

“This is the perfect opportunity to maybe tell a story that isn’t always told,” said Ben Barbera, executive director and president of the Milwaukee County Historical Society. “We can’t necessarily talk about the founding fathers. There weren’t many Revolutionary War battles here. But we can tell a story that is essential to the country.”

That story showcases the real people who came from all over the world for a better life — people who, over time, helped shape the country into what it is today.

The story starts with those who were here first.

“The Indigenous populations of Wisconsin, because without them being pushed out and forced out, we wouldn’t have immigration come to this space,” said Olivia Hoff, community programs manager for the Milwaukee County Historical Society.

The exhibit features photos and artifacts dating back centuries.

“This is a sewing kit that was made from clothing that was worn by people who came here from England,” said Janean VanBeckum, curator of the exhibit. “They were Puritans being persecuted. They came in, settled on the East Coast, and then their family moved here.”

Families from Germany, Poland, Italy and Ireland followed. Decades later, there was a surge of immigrants from Latin America, Asia and parts of Africa.

“When you start the exhibit, you get an identification card of an immigrant,” said VanBeckum. “It’s based on real immigrants, but not any particular person, and you can go around and choose your own adventure to kind of see what happens to your immigrant’s life as they move through the process of coming here and either becoming a citizen or not becoming a citizen.”

The experience includes audio recordings from people who immigrated to Milwaukee and their children.

“This is the humanistic story,” said Hoff. “It really generates empathy too because you are hearing it from the people themselves.”

The exhibit also highlights people who came to the Milwaukee area from within the United States. A major part of Milwaukee’s history is the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural South to the Midwest in the mid-20th century. That history is documented in “We the People.”

Overall, the team at the Milwaukee County Historical Society hopes the new exhibit reminds people of their similarities and shared home as the nation turns 250.

“People can realize that everyone has a similar scope of their life and that we all may be struggling to fight some of the same battles, and that by working together, creating a civic discourse, we can be less divided.”