Summary Information
Henry Crosby Papers 1969-1976
UWM Manuscript Collection 188
2 cubic ft. (3 boxes and 1 beer case)
UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives / Milwaukee Area Research Ctr. (Map)
This collection contains Henry Crosby's papers pertaining to
the 1970 acquisition and the 1972 closure of the Peoples Brewing Company. Crosby was on the
board of directors of this company. This brewery was owned by a group of Milwaukee-based
African American Investors. As a result of this purchase and the subsequent African American
directed stock sale, the Peoples Brewing Company became the first major African American
owned brewery in Wisconsin. The Henry Crosby Papers consist of documents relating to the
Peoples Brewing Company in Oshkosh, Wisconsin; the president of the Peoples Brewing Company,
Theodore Mack; minority business initiatives; the Wisconsin brewing industry; and the Small
Business Administration (SBA), which is the federal government agency whose function is to
council and assist the interests of small businesses. The collection includes
correspondence, newspaper clippings, legal documents, publications, public stock records,
Peoples Brewing Company business records, a publication from the Afro-Urban Institute,
cardboard beer case labels, and Peoples Brewing Company and Oshkosh Brewing Company regalia.
This collection has profound significance not only as the first African American owned
brewing company, but in the federal investigations that were prompted from SBA mishandling
of the company's closure. In addition, it incited investigations of other corporations and
federal bureaus that were related to Mack's initial suit against the SBA and the Defense
Department in 1972. English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-mil-uwmmss0188 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
The Peoples Brewing Company was the first instance of African American ownership of a major
Wisconsin Brewery. The plant was started in 1911 by Henry J. Durler, and located in Oshkosh,
Wisconsin at 1506-1512 South Main Street. The brewery was sold to a group of African
American investors in 1970. This group, including Henry Crosby, consisted of the first, and
only, board of directors. This board dated from 1970-1972 and included Henry Crosby as well
as Ray Alexander, Louis Maxey, and Robert Peeble. Crosby, Alexander, Maxey, and the Peoples
Brewing Company president, Theodore Mack were also members of United Black Enterprises, an
organization that came out of the Northtown Planning and Development Council. This council
was connected to the Afro-Urban Institute, working as a Milwaukee ghetto non-profit group
that encouraged African American involvement in the economic community. This organization
had attempted to buy Blatz Brewing Company the year before, bidding $9,000,000 for the
operation. It was declined the summer of 1969, and sold to G. Heileman Brewing Company of La
Crosse for $10,750,000.
The Peoples Brewing Company was sold for a total of $365,000 with an additional $70,000
paid for the existing inventory. The purchase was facilitated by a $390,000 Small Business
Administration backed loan from Marshall and Ilsley Bank in Milwaukee on the condition that
the group raise an additional $200,000 for operating costs through stock sales. After the
stock sale, another building was purchased on Wright Street in Milwaukee to be used as the
headquarters.
While the plant was in operation, Peoples Brewing Company produced Wurtzer Beer, Old Derby
Ale, Peoples Beer, Chief Oshkosh, Rahr's, Badger, and Liebrau, and in 1971 purchased the
labels of the Oshkosh Brewing Company. It also made improvements on the existing company by
installing a new tapping system, palletized inventory, and canned its beer in pop top
cans.
Despite these changes and growth, by November 1972 Theodore Mack ceased production.
Discrimination and poor sales in Milwaukee, a $35,000 tax lien placed on the company by the
Internal Revenue Service, and a suit that Mack brought against the Small Business
Administration and the Defense Department seeking 100 million dollars in defense contracts
contributed to this decision. The equipment was subsequently sold by the Small Business
Administration to relieve the debt that was left by the closure. The sale provided only a
fraction of the market value of the equipment and an investigation of the Small Business
Administration and the Office of Minority Business Enterprises resulted.
Additional allegations, resulting from the inquiries, led to an investigation by August
Bequai of the Securities and Exchange Commission into payoffs made to retailers with the
intent that they would sell only a single beer product. Many clippings regarding this
investigation are included within this collection.
Scope and Content Note
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.
Arrangement of the Materials
The collection is arranged in the following series:
-
General Papers, 1969-1976
-
Artifacts,1962-1971
The papers are arranged in alphabetical files, with the contents of each file arranged
chronologically. Newspaper clippings have been photocopied and are contained in boxes one
and two. The artifacts are in box three. The beer case is a separate, additional box.
Preferred Citation
Citation Guide for
Primary Sources
Administrative/Restriction Information
The artifacts are restricted and may be used only with the assistance of the Archives'
staff.
There are no access restrictions on the other materials in the collection, and the
collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law.
The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel,
privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin
Statutes 19.21-19.39).
Henry S. and Janet E. Crosby donated this collection to the Archives in August 2002
(accession 2002-034).
Jacqueline Frank processed this collection in the Archives September through November
2002.
Contents List
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Series: 1. General Papers, 1969-1976
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|
Box
1
Folder
1
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Afro-Urban Institute Booklet, undated
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|
Box
1
Folder
2
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Brewing Industry Clippings, 1969-1976
|
|
Box
2
Folder
1
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Brewing Industry Newspaper Insert, 1969
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|
Box
1
Folder
9
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Correspondence, 1971-1974
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|
Box
1
Folder
3
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Government Assistance Requests, 1972
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|
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Peoples Brewing Company
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|
Box
1
Folder
4
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Accounting Records, 1970-1971
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|
Box
1
Folder
5
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Advertising and Labels, undated
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|
Box
1
Folder
6
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Annual Reports, 1971
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|
Box
1
Folder
7
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Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, 1970-1971, undated
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|
Box
1
Folder
8
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Bids, undated
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Box
2
Folder
2
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District Court Documents, 1972-1973
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|
Box
1
Folder
10
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Media Releases, 1972, undated
|
|
Box
1
Folder
11
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Meeting Minutes, 1970-1973
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|
Box
1
Folder
12
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Operations Proposals, undated
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|
Box
1
Folder
13
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Public Stock Documents, 1970-1971, undated
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|
Box
1
Folder
14
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Stockholders' Meeting Minutes, 1972
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|
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Series: 2. Artifacts, 1962-1971 : Restricted
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Subseries: Oshkosh Brewing Company
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Beer Case
1
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Chief Oshkosh Beer Bottle, undated Amber-Brown Glass, Crown Top, 12 oz. (Orange Shield on Gold Label),
|
|
Beer Case
1
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Chief Oshkosh Beer Bottle, 1962 Amber Glass, Crown Top, 12 oz. (Building and Lake on Label)
|
|
Beer Case
1
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Chief Oshkosh Beer Bottle, 1965 Amber Glass, Crown Top, 12 oz. (Chief in Headdress and Lake on
Label)
|
|
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Subseries: Peoples Brewing Company
|
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Beer Case
1
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Beer Can, pre-1971
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|
Box
3
|
Bottle and Can Opener, undated
|
|
Beer Case
1
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20 Bottle Carton/ Beer Case, undated
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|
Box
3
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Enameled Metal Tray, undated
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|
Beer Case
1
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Holiday Beer Bottles, undated 2 Bottles
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|
Beer Case
1
|
Ring Top Self-Opening Metal Can, undated
|
|
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