Title: Milwaukee American Revolution Bicentennial Commission Records
Inclusive Dates: 1973-1978

Creator:

• American Revolution Bicentennial Commission (Milwaukee, Wis.)

Call Number: City of Milwaukee Archival Collection 4

Quantity:

• 3.0 cubic ft. (8 boxes)
• 24 audio recordings
• 5 oversize folders

Repository:

Milwaukee Public Library, Frank P. Zeidler Room

Archival Location:

Milwaukee Public Library (Map)

Abstract:

The Milwaukee American Revolution Bicentennial Commission was created in 1973 to prepare for Milwaukee’s celebration of the Bicentennial and American national independence. Contains correspondence, clippings, audio recordings, photographs, and artifacts.

Note:

To request materials from this collection, create/login to your Special Collections Account.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.mwpl-cmac0004

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Mayor Henry W. Maier and the Common Council created the Milwaukee American Revolution Bicentennial Commission (MARBC) to prepare for Milwaukee’s celebration of the Bicentennial and American national independence. The Commission operated between 1973 and 1976. Among the Commission’s representatives were Barbara Ulichny – Administrator, Cynthia Kukor – Chairperson, Rick Freiberg – Administrative Assistant, and Jess Brownell – Public Relations.

This collection consists of correspondence, sent and received by the MARBC, as well as MARBC internal business memos, minutes, and member lists. There are also budgets and fundraising materials, which consist of MARBC general budgets, contributions and fundraising correspondence, International Week materials, and MARBC volunteer program budget. The items on events include the Bicentennial Engineering, Scientific, and Technical Exposition and Conference, House Decorating and Quilting Contests, International Festivals Essay Contest, Milwaukee River Photograph Contest, Scalamandre Textile Exhibit, Summerfest, and Youth Day 1975. This collection also contains Artifacts, including tee shirts, a Bicentennial flag, buttons, charts, guest books, logo pins, and an American Revolution Bicentennial Commission flag centerpiece. The Audio Tapes detail commission and committee meetings, Highway of Flags Kick-off Dinner, and staff reviews. These are all reel-to-reel audio tapes, except for one cassette tape. The oversize materials include architectural drawings and posters.

Also included in this collection are walking tour booklets for river and neighborhood walks. The International Festivals consist of materials relating to the extensive effort to plan and coordinate International Festivals in 1975 and 1976, including International Festivals Weeks I, II, and III, and specifically the 76K Bike Races, Operation Sail ’76, and River Day ’76. The Calendar of Events include Bicentennial calendar brochures and news releases. Project Proposals include accreditation procedures, applications describing events and projects such as Heritage ’76 and Horizons ’76. The Milwaukee Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Inc. and Tourist and Visitors Center contain correspondence, budget statements, office procedures, physical location and makeup of the Milwaukee Tourist and Visitors Center, and a copy of the project proposal application relating to the Center. Additional projects sponsored by the MARBC include the Bicentennial Park/Plaza, Freedom Train, Highway of Flags, MARBC Kick-off Program, 1976 City of Milwaukee Time Capsule, Urban Observatory, and Bell Ringing Project. There are also commemoratives, which include advertising materials and catalogs, vendor correspondence, Historic Walker’s Point [bilingual] Coloring Book, and a list of companies licensed by the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission.

The collection is arranged into the following series:

1. General Files, 1973-1978
2. Audio Recordings, 1975-1976

The collection is arranged alphabetically, then chronologically within each folder.

Milwaukee American Revolution Bicentennial Commission Records, 1973-1978, Collection 4. City of Milwaukee Archival Collections, Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Archival Collections

• CETA Arts Program Photographs. Milwaukee Historic Photo Collection 3.

• Common Council Records. City of Milwaukee Archival Collection 6.

Publications and Other Items

Milwaukee Bicentennial Map / Milwaukee Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc.

Neighborhood Kit, 1976

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials. The collection is open to all in accordance with state law. The public may view City of Milwaukee Archival Collections by appointment at the Central Library. To request an in-person appointment, create/login to your Special Collections Account. If you have any questions, please contact the Archives and Special Collections Department at mplarchives@milwaukee.gov.

Use Restrictions

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).

Acquisition Information

Milwaukee Public Library receives official materials from city departments via the Milwaukee City Records Center, pursuant to state statutes and city ordinances governing the permanent retention of city records.

Processing Information

Processing by Daniel Schramm, 2001. Updated by Joseph Hyland and Gayle M. Ecklund, 2002. Materials added by Bob Jaeger, 2018.

	Series: 1: General Files, 1973-1978
Box   1 Folder   1-2	Accredited Projects, 1974-1976
Oversize Folder   1	Architectural Drawings, Williamsburg Marketplace, 1976
Box   7	Artifacts, t-shirts, flags, etc., circa 1976
Box   1 Folder   3	Beautification Committee, includes photographs, 1975-1976
Box   1 Folder   4	Bell Ringing Project, 1976
Box   1 Folder   5	Bicentennial Engineering, Scientific, and Technical Exposition and Conference Council, includes photographs, 1975-1976
	Bicentennial Music
Box   1 Folder   6	America, 1974-1975
Box   1 Folder   7	International Folk Band, 1975-1976
Box   1 Folder   8	Miscellaneous, 1975-1976
	Bicentennial Park/Plaza (proposed)
Oversize Folder   2	Architectural Drawings, 1975
Box   1 Folder   9	Correspondence, includes photographs, 1976
Box   1 Folder   10	Black Heritage, Inc., 1975-1976
Box   1 Folder   11	Budget, 1975-1976
Box   1 Folder   12	Calendar of Events, 1975-1976
Box   8 Folder   1-3	Clippings, 1974-1976
Box   1 Folder   13-14	Commemoratives, product offers, 1974-1976
Box   2 Folder   1	Common Council Presentations, includes photographs, 1975-1976
Box   8 Folder   4	Contact Sheets and Negatives, undated
Box   2 Folder   2	Contributions, 1975-1976
Box   2 Folder   3-10	Correspondence, A through H, 1973-1976
Box   3 Folder   1-12	Correspondence, I through Z, 1973-1976
Oversize Folder   3	Declaration of Independence (reproduction), 1976
Box   4 Folder   1	Events, Milwaukee, 1974-1976
Box   4 Folder   2	Events, Wisconsin, 1973-1976
Box   4 Folder   3	Festivals '76 Committee, 1975-1976
Box   4 Folder   4	Festivals '76 Proposals, 1974-1976
Box   4 Folder   5	Freedom Train, 1974-1975
Box   4 Folder   6	Fundraising, 1974-1976
Box   4 Folder   7	Heritage '76 Proposals, 1974-1975
Box   4 Folder   8	Highway of Flags, 1976
Box   4 Folder   9	Horizons '76 Proposals, includes photographs, 1973-1975
Box   5 Folder   1	Horizons '76 Proposals, includes photographs, 1973-1975
Box   5 Folder   2	Horizons on Display, 1976
Box   5 Folder   3	House Decorating Contest, 1976
Box   8 Folder   5	In the Light of the Steeple, undated
Box   5 Folder   4	International Festivals Weeks, includes photographs, 1975-1976
Box   5 Folder   5	International Festivals Week I, essay contest, 1975-1976
Box   5 Folder   6	International Festivals Week II, 76K Bike Race, includes photographs, 1975-1976
Box   5 Folder   7	International Festivals Week II, Budget and Events, 1976
Box   5 Folder   8	International Festivals Week II, River Day '76, includes photographs, 1976
Box   5 Folder   9	International Festivals Week II, Spirit of '76 Street Committee, includes photographs, 1975-1976
Box   5 Folder   10	International Festivals Week III, Operation Sail '76, 1975-1976
Box   5 Folder   11	Kick-Off Program, 1975-1976
Box   5 Folder   12	Membership Listings, 1974-1976
Box   5 Folder   13	Milwaukee Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc., 1974-1975
Box   5 Folder   14	Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, includes photographs, undated
Box   5 Folder   15	Milwaukee Public Schools, 1975-1976
Box   6 Folder   1	Milwaukee River Photograph Contest, includes photographs, 1975-1976
Box   6 Folder   2	Milwaukee Tourist and Visitors Center, 1975-1977
Box   6 Folder   3	Minutes, 1973-1976
Box   6 Folder   4	Neighborhood Celebration Kit, includes photographs, circa 1975
Box   6 Folder   5	News Releases, 1975-1976
Box   6 Folder   6-7	Planning Resources, 1973-1975
Oversize Folder   4	Posters, undated
Box   6 Folder   8	Proclamations, 1975-1976
Box   6 Folder   9	Quilting Contest, 1976
Box   8 Folder   6	Report, 1976
Box   6 Folder   10	Scalamandre Textile Exhibit, 1975-1976
Oversize Folder   5	Spirit of ’76 Float Project, 1976
Box   6 Folder   11	Summerfest '76, 1975-1976
Box   6 Folder   12	Time Capsule, 1976
Box   6 Folder   13	United States Conference of Mayors, 1975
Box   6 Folder   14	Urban Observatory, 1975-1976
Box   6 Folder   15	Volunteer Program, 1975-1976
Box   6 Folder   16	Walking Tours, booklets, 1974-1978
Box   6 Folder   17	Youth Day, 1975
	Series: 2: Audio Recordings, 1975-1976	⇧
Audio   1	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, March 19, 1975
Audio   2	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, April 16, 1975
Audio   3	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, June 18, 1975
Audio   4	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, International Festivals '76 Committee, November 11, 1975
Audio   5	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, November 19, 1975
Audio   6	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, December 17, 1975
Audio   7	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, December 18, 1975
Audio   8	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, Operation Sail, February 26, 1975
Audio   9	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, Highway of Flags Kick-off Dinner, March 1, 1976
Audio   10	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, March 17, 1976
Audio   11	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, April 21, 1976
Audio   12	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, May 19, 1976
Audio   13	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, June 8, 1976
Audio   14	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, International Week Meeting, June 15, 1976
Audio   15	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, meeting announcement, attendance record, June 16, 1976
Audio   16	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, International Week, June 22, 1976
Audio   17	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, International Week, June 29, 1976
Audio   18	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, International Week, July 6, 1976
Audio   19	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, International Week, July 7, 1976
Audio   20	Bicentennial Commission Meeting, final meeting, September 22, 1976
Audio   21	Staff Review, January 21, 1976
Audio   22	Staff Review, January 21, 1976
Audio   23	Blank?, undated
Audio   24	Bicentennial Choral Song?, undated Physical Description: 1 audio cassette