Milwaukee Public Museum highlights Watson House for Black History Month

MILWAUKEE — For Black Historical past Month, the Milwaukee Public Museum is showcasing an exhibit of the Watson Household. 

The household arrived in Milwaukee in 1850. In line with the museum, the household performed a significant function in establishing the town’s Black center class earlier than abolition.

Richard Hedderman, the museum’s education schemes coordinator, has spent years learning the Watson household papers which uncover the story of Sully and Susanna Watson.

Hedderman stated after escaping slavery in Virginia, the household made their strategy to Milwaukee, in search of alternative.

“Somebody was retaining monitor for Mr. Watson of how a lot of his wages he was retaining. He was placing apart to purchase his freedom in what was known as a manumission and we estimate that was set at roughly $500 and right here it exhibits he had saved as much as $262.53 at the moment,” stated Hedderman.

He stated once they got here to Milwaukee, Sully Watson and his son established themselves as quarrymen and stonecutters.

Susanna Watson and a few of her daughters ran a seamstress enterprise.

Hedderman stated the household was additionally accountable for beginning a number of baptist church buildings in Milwaukee’s Third and Fourth wards.

“They got here right here when the Black inhabitants was actually rising, was actually turning into foundational and had established itself very dynamically within the cloth of the town,” stated Hedderman. “They performed a really distinguished function to the extent that when Mr. Watson died at age 80 in 1862, his loss of life discover was featured on the entrance web page of the Milwaukee Sentinel.”

As he appeared on the Watson Home exhibit in Outdated Milwaukee, Hedderman was reminded of how Milwaukee, earlier than abolition, was a haven for these escaping slavery.

“The household had an property of roughly $7,000, which at the moment was fairly a considerable sum, so they’d performed very nicely for themselves and had a outstanding story of success and prosperity and freedom,” stated Hedderman.

Each Thursday and Friday in February, curators might be on-hand, offering perception to Watson Home guests.

Hedderman stated he hopes individuals will take this chance to see how this household performed a small function in making the town what it’s right this moment.