Title: Frank P. Zeidler Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1897-1977

Creator:

• Zeidler, Frank P.

Call Number: Milwaukee Mss DJ

Quantity: 1.0 c.f. (3 archives boxes)

Repository:

Housed at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries’ Archives Department / Milwaukee Area Research Center; owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives / Milwaukee Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Abstract:

Papers of Frank Zeidler, a Milwaukee socialist and civic leader who served as mayor from 1948 to 1960. The collection consists mainly of materials (1950-1977) issued by various socialist organizations and a small amount of Zeidler's correspondence and writings about the Socialist Party and Social Democratic Foundation. Also includes various records of the national and state Socialist Party, and the Public Enterprise Committee, a socialist-leftist organization which promoted Zeidler for mayor.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mil000dj

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Frank Zeidler was born in Milwaukee on September 20, 1912. He attended the University of Wisconsin, Extension Division; Marquette University; and the University of Chicago. Mr. Zeidler closed out the era of socialist mayors in Milwaukee---an era that began in 1910 and was interrupted only twice---when he served as mayor from 1948 to 1960. His three terms in office were marked by large-scale construction of public housing; the construction of the first educational television station in Wisconsin; slum clearance and city beautification programs; strong statements on behalf of civil rights; and the quadrupling of the size of the city. After his retirement from public office, Mr. Zeidler remained active in socialist parties on the national, state and local levels.

Frank Zeidler had ties with all of the organizations for which there are papers in this collection. Zeidler was a long time member of the Socialist Party/Social Democratic Federation and of its National Action Committee which was primarily concerned with the anti-Vietnam war movement during the time period documented in this collection. In 1972, when the Socialist Party/Social Democratic Federation split into factions, Zeidler emerged as leader of one faction, the Socialist Party, U.S.A., which subsequently moved its headquarters from New York to Milwaukee. Zeidler had equally strong ties to the Socialist Party of Wisconsin (called Socialist Party - Social Democratic Federation of Wisconsin until 1969), a regional affiliate of the Socialist Party/Social Democratic Federation. The Socialist Democratic Party of America - Milwaukee Branch (known in its earliest days as the Social-Democracy of America) was the first formal manifestation of socialism in Milwaukee when it was founded in 1897. It was the progenitor of the party whose candidate, Emil Seidel, was elected first socialist mayor of Milwaukee (and in the United States) in 1910. The Public Enterprise Committee (also known as The Public Enterprise Committee of Milwaukee County and the Municipal Enterprise Committee) was formed in 1947 by a coalition of socialists and leftist Democrats to promote the candidacy of Frank Zeidler for mayor of Milwaukee. After leaving public office in 1960, Mr. Zeidler held various offices in this organization.

The collection consists mainly of materials issued by various socialist organizations and a small amount of correspondence and writings of Frank Zeidler. The papers have been arranged in six groups: Socialist Party/Social Democratic Federation, Socialist Party, U.S.A., Socialist Party of Wisconsin, Public Enterprise Committee, Papers of Frank Zeidler, and Miscellany.

The Socialist Party/Social Democratic Federation papers include membership and dues records, newsletters, minutes and secretary?s reports, and minutes and reports of the National Action Committee.

Papers of the Socialist Party, U.S.A. consist of constitutions, minutes, statements, press releases and printed memos, and printed memos and subscription information regarding The Socialist Tribune, a newspaper published by the party. Records of the national conventions of the Socialist Party, U.S.A. contain minutes, reports, and resolutions adopted by delegates.

Included with the records of the Socialist Party of Wisconsin is a file of printed programs from picnics held annually by the membership. Within each program a history of the party, biographical sketches of prominent party leaders and members, and advertising, may be found. Also present in this series are newsletters and associated material, a published article and a two-page synopsis of the history of socialism in Milwaukee, and a minute book of the Socialist Democratic Party of America-Milwaukee, Local Branch No. 2, Twenty-first Ward, 1897-1901.

The Public Enterprise Committee papers consist of general correspondence dating from the 1950s and from 1962, with many gaps; general records, including memos, statements, and similar material for distribution to the membership, and platforms and planks adopted by the party.

The Papers of Frank Zeidler are comprised of a folder of fragmentary correspondence, primarily with other Socialists and party leaders; a folder of pamphlets written by Zeidler, including his translation of Macbeth by William Shakespeare; and photocopied newspaper articles about Zeidler. Also included with his writings is Zeidler's proposed domestic program for consideration by the Debs Caucus in 1971.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Frank Zeidler, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1971, 1974, and 1975; by Bettie Eisendrath, Milwaukee, 1975-1977; and by Brahm Bassford, Milwaukee, 1973; with additions from the Social Action Vertical File. Accession Number: M71-129, M74-533, M75-141, M75-293, M76-211, M77-409, M73-470, M87-500

Processing Information

Reprocessed with additions by Menzi Behrnd Klodt in April 1980

	Socialist Party/Social Democratic Federation
Box   1 Folder   1	Membership Lists and Records, 1964-1966, 1970
Box   1 Folder   2-4	Newsletters, Minutes and Secretary's Reports, 1962-1967
Box   1 Folder   5-8	National Action Committee, Minutes and Reports, 1963-1968
Box   1 Folder   9	Statements, Principles, 1960, 1966
	Socialist Party, U.S.A.
Box   1 Folder   10	Constitutions, 1973, 1975, undated
	Minutes, Statements, Press Releases, and Printed Memos
Box   1 Folder   11	1971-1975
Box   2 Folder   1	1976-1977
Box   2 Folder   2-3	National Convention Minutes, Papers, Reports, and Resolutions, 1974-1977
Box   2 Folder   4	The Socialist Tribune, 1971-1975
	Socialist Party of Wisconsin
Box   2 Folder   5	Programs from Socialist Party Picnics, 1942-1967
Box   2 Folder   6	Newsletters and Memos, 1962-1974; Draft Party Program, , 1972
Box   2 Folder   7	History of Socialists in Milwaukee, 1965-1969
Box   2 Folder   8	Socialist Democratic Party of America - Milwaukee Branch, Minute Book of Local Branch No. 2, Twenty-first Ward, 1897-1901
	Public Enterprise Committee
Box   2 Folder   9	General Correspondence, 1950-1951, 1955-1956, 1962
	General Records
Box   2 Folder   10-11	1947, 1957-1963, 1967-1971
Box   3 Folder   1-3	1972-1977
Box   3 Folder   4	Platforms and Planks, 1947-1951
Box   3 Folder   5	Miscellaneous Materials, undated
	Papers of Frank Zeidler
Box   3 Folder   6	Correspondence and Ephemera, 1962, 1965-1967
Box   3 Folder   7	Zeidler's Translation of Macbeth, 1957
Box   3 Folder   8	Zeidler's Writings, and Articles about Zeidler, 1965-1977
Box   3 Folder   9	Miscellany, undated