Each folder contains a variety of information relating to the operations of the People's
Brewing Company and the Wisconsin brewing industry, 1969-1976. The correspondence outlines
the problems that the Peoples Brewing Company underwent during the first half of the 1970s.
It includes internal company correspondence, government funding requests, inquiries
regarding the sale of Peoples Beer to the armed services, legal communications, a Pan
African Business Information Center inquiry, stockholders' communications, and a letter of
intent of sale. The clippings are comprised of various brewing industry articles. However,
the clippings predominately feature news about the Peoples Brewing Company and the Small
Business Administration probe that took place after the closing of the Peoples Brewing
Company. Many of the articles touch upon the topic of minorities in business. A brewing
industry themed newspaper insert contains extensive information regarding a variety of large
and small breweries within Wisconsin during 1969. The business records outline finances,
by-laws, articles of incorporation, internal documents, grant requests, and other government
information. Also included within this collection are District Court records regarding the
case between the Peoples Brewing Company and the Small Business Administration, as well as
brewing industry publications, a bound Afro-Urban Institute publication, and Peoples Brewing
Company objects.
Of specific interest to African American history is the publication, About the Business of Business for Inner City North Through: Business Assistance,
Business Opportunities, and Business Development in box one, folder one. The
Afro-Urban Institute is a tax exempt, non-profit community development corporation for the
Black Community in Milwaukee. Its goals include promoting positive economic development of
Milwaukee's inner city north to extend economic opportunities and employment. They do this
through assisting minority entrepreneurial development and conducting coordinating services.
This City of Milwaukee Afro-Urban Institute publication includes newspaper clippings,
letters, and financial statements regarding North Milwaukee issues. Most of the items in the
publication date from 1969 through 1972, and constitute a compilation of sources regarding
subjects such as the Milwaukee Black Economic Development Institute, United Black
Enterprises, North Milwaukee State Bank, Peoples Brewing Company, Center City Supermarket,
Central City Cooperative, Martin Luther King Park, Halyard Park, Northside Community Design
Center, Cable Television, or CATV, APEX Cab Company, workshops, and the Afro-Urban
Institute.
Several artifacts are also part of this collection. They include a Peoples Beer Case,
Peoples Beer cans, Holiday Beer and Oshkosh Brewing Company bottles, a Peoples Beer bottle
opener, and a Peoples Brewing Company enameled tray. The artifacts may be used only with the
assistance of the Archives' staff.
