Summary Information
Mordecai Lee Papers
1976-2001
Milwaukee Mss 199, Micro 1176; Milwaukee Micro 63; Audio 1920A, M2002-015
1.6 cubic feet (4 archives boxes) and 5 reels of microfilm (35 mm);
plus additions of 23 tape recordings and 33 videorecordings
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Papers documenting the career of Mordecai Lee, a Milwaukee Democratic legislator,
Jewish community leader, and political professor. The vast majority of these papers relate
to Lee’s political career in the Assembly and Senate (1976-1989), his tenure as the
Executive Director of the Milwaukee Jewish Council for Community Relations (1990-1997), and
his tenure as an Assistant Professor of Government Affairs at the University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee (1997- ). These papers contain campaign literature Lee drafted,
correspondence on legislation with which he was involved, newspaper clippings pertaining to
legal and cultural issues central to Milwaukee and Judaism, and scholarly articles published
by Lee on public administration policy.
Portions of this collection are available only on microfilm.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-micr1176 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Born to Jack Harold Lee and Bernice Kamesar Lee on August 27, 1948, Mordecai Lee
distinguished himself as a Wisconsin State legislator, Jewish community leader, and
political science professor in the city of Milwaukee. As a youth, Lee was heavily
influenced by Vietnam, Civil Rights, and federal governmental policy, both foreign and
domestic. This interest in government and politics led Lee to earn a Ph.D. in Public
Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse
University in 1975.
In 1974 Lee served as an aide to Congressman Lynn Alderman, and one year later, he became
an aide to Congressman Henry Reuss. By 1976, Lee decided to run for the 31st State
Assembly seat vacated by Paul Sicula, which he won by over 10,000 votes. In 1982, after
six years in the Assembly, Lee defeated Republican Michael Sullivan to win a State Senate
seat in the 5th District. After two successful terms in the Senate, Lee resigned from
public office on September 1, 1989.
Prior to retiring from the Wisconsin Legislature, Lee held the following committee
positions between 1980-1989: Chairman of the Committees on Government Operations, Urban
Affairs, Utilities, Energy, Housing and Environmental Resources; Co-Chairman of the Joint
Audit Committee; and Committee panel member on Local Affairs, State Affairs, Higher
Education, Criminal Justice and Public Safety, and Judiciary and Consumer Affairs. In
addition, from 1988-1989, Lee served as a member of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage
Commission and Chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee.
On August 9, 1990, Mordecai Lee replaced Judy Mann as the Executive Director of the
Milwaukee Jewish Council for Community Relations (MJCCR). This nonprofit agency is
composed of twenty-five local Jewish organizations, including the American Jewish
Federation, and has an annual operating budget of $250,000. As Executive Director, Lee
served as a local Jewish public relations ambassador for racial, religious, and ethnic
tolerance in Milwaukee. In this capacity, Lee was a strong advocate for protecting First
Amendment rights, strengthening the Middle East Peace process between Arabs and Jews,
preserving the existence of Israel, and promoting cultural unity in response to crimes of
hate and terror.
After seven years Lee stepped down as MJCCR's Executive Director in 1997. He was
succeeded by Paula Simon. Lee accepted a tenure track position as Assistant Professor of
Government Affairs at UW-Milwaukee. Lee also serves as the Outreach Coordinator for
UW-Extension Public Administration classes and re-certification requirements. Lee still
holds this dual academic position.
Arrangement of the Materials
This collection was received in multiple parts from the donor(s) and is organized into 2
major parts. These materials have not been physically interfiled and researchers might need
to consult more than one part to locate similar materials.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by Mordecai Lee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Accession Number: M89-369,
M2002-015
Contents List
|
Part 1 (Milwaukee Mss 199, Micro 1176, Milwaukee Micro 63): Original
Collection, 1976-19891.6 cubic feet (4 archives boxes) and 5 reels of microfilm (35 mm) The Mordecai Lee Papers document his thirteen year tenure in the Wisconsin
Legislature (1976-89), his seven year tenure as the Executive Director of the
Milwaukee Jewish Council for Community Relations (1990-97), and his current tenure
track position as Assistant Professor of Government Affairs at UW-Milwaukee
(1997-2001). The papers are arranged in broad chronological periods reflecting the
evolution of Lee's career. Within each career stage, the papers are arranged by type
of record and chronologically thereunder. A small quantity of personal papers consists
of a biographical sketch written by Lee in 2001 and material on a Jewish camp. The vast majority of these papers consist of newsletters and campaign literature
drafted for the following assembly and state races: 1978, 1980, 1982, and 1986. Press
releases and other speaking engagements covering the period 1976-1989 are also
available through 1976-89 on microfilm. In addition, a significant portion of this collection is devoted to Lee's tenure as
Executive Director of the Milwaukee Jewish Council for Community Relations
(1990-1997). This section includes annual reports, newspaper clippings, and speeches
on anti-Semitism in Milwaukee, solidifying lasting peace in the Middle East, and
preserving the existence of Israel. A final portion of this collection contains newspaper and journal articles Lee wrote
as an UW-Milwaukee faculty member concerning the topics of public administration
policy, government affairs, and other Middle Eastern issues.
|
|
|
Milwaukee Mss 199
|
Personal papers
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
1
|
Biographical sketch, 1966-2001
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
2
|
Herzl Jewish Camp literature, 1967
|
|
|
Micro 1176/Milwaukee Micro 63
Reel
1
|
Biographical clipping scrapbooks, 1976-1983
|
|
|
Reel
2
|
Biographical clipping scrapbooks, 1984-1988
|
|
|
Reel
3
Frame
1-123
|
Biographical clipping scrapbooks, 1984-1988
|
|
|
Campaign files (general)
|
|
|
Reel
5
Frame
1-559
|
1976-1986
|
|
|
Reel
5
Frame
560-580
|
Ed Perkins material
|
|
|
Reel
5
Frame
581-615
|
Robert Kasten material
|
|
|
Milwaukee Mss 199
|
Congressional Aid files
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
3
|
Lynn Aldermann campaign literature, 1974
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
4
|
Henry Reuss Campaign, 1975-1976
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
5
|
Morris Udall Presidential Campaign, 1975-1976
|
|
|
Legislative Campaign Files
|
|
|
Assembly
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
6-8
|
1976-1980
|
|
|
Senate
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
9
|
1982 Campaign
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
1
|
1986 Campaign
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
2
|
Senate resignation letters, 1989
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
3
|
“Lee Reports,” 1977-1989
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
4
|
Lee Laws, 1977-1989
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
5
|
Legislative reunion literature, 1848-2000
|
|
|
Micro 1176/Milwaukee Micro 63
|
Publicity Files
|
|
|
Reel
3
Frame
124-end
|
Newsletters and press releases, 1977-1989
|
|
|
Milwaukee Mss 199
Box
2
Folder
6
|
Press Releases, 1992
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
7-9
|
Newspaper Clippings, 1990-1993
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
1-3
|
Newspaper Clippings, 1994-2001
|
|
|
MJCCR Directorship Files
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
4
|
Annual Reports, 1991-1997
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
5-6
|
Speeches and appearances, 1990-1993
|
|
|
Box
4
Folder
1-3
|
Speeches and appearances, 1994-1997
|
|
|
Box
4
Folder
4
|
Farewell Notes, 1997
|
|
|
Publications
|
|
|
Box
4
Folder
5-6
|
Journal and newspaper Articles, 1973-2001
|
|
|
Micro 1176/Milwaukee Micro 63
Box
4
|
Speeches and appearances (general), 1976-1989
|
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
|
|
Reel
5
Frame
616-1057
|
Utility holding company legislation, 1985-1986
|
|
|
Reel
5
Frame
1058-end
|
Resignation letters, 1989
|
|
|
Part 2 (M2002-015; Audio 1920A): Additions,
1980-2001
23 tape recordings and 33 videorecordings
: Audio tapes and videotapes consisting of recorded sessions of the Wisconsin
Legislature, radio programs on which Lee appeared, and other speeches and appearances
made by Lee.
|
|
|
Audio 1920A
|
Audio Recordings
|
|
|
Audio
1920/1
|
Interview with Jim Wichstroom, Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR) 1981
|
|
|
Audio
1920/2
|
"How a Bill Becomes a Law" / Senator Lee on the Senate Floor, 1983 October 28
|
|
|
Audio
1920/3
|
Milwaukee Home Mortgage Program speech - SSSB1, 1983 October
|
|
|
Audio
1920/4
|
"Sir Thomas Moore" speech, WUWM Radio 1984 April 06
|
|
|
Audio
1920/5
|
Special Session SB14: Utility Holding Companies, 1985 September
|
|
|
Audio
1920/6
|
Legislative Focus, WUWM Radio 1986 April 30
|
|
|
Audio
1920/7
|
Special Session: Drinking Age to 19, SB1 SA14 1986 May
|
|
|
Audio
1920/8
|
State Boards and Commissions, WUWM Radio 1986
|
|
|
Audio
1920/9
|
Mordecai's Farewell Speech to State Senate, followed by farewell comments
by other Senators 1989 October 17
|
|
|
Audio
1920/10
|
Ethnic Cleansing in Bosnia-Herzegovina / Mordecai Lee and Dr.
Chima, 1992 August 05
|
|
|
Audio
1920/11
|
Mideast Peace Accord, WPR 1993 December 16
|
|
|
Audio
1920/12
|
Religious School Choice / John Norquist and Moredcai Lee, 1994 February 17
|
|
|
Audio
1920/13
|
Mosque Massacre, WPR 1994 February 25
|
|
|
Audio
1920/14
|
Khalid Abdul Muhammad, Paul Jordan, and Mordecai Lee speeches at University
of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 1994 March 22
|
|
|
Audio
1920/15
|
Plymouth Agora, WUWM 1995 December
|
|
|
Audio
1920/16
|
Hate Crimes, WPR 1996 January 16
|
|
|
Audio
1920/17
|
"Citizen Attitudes towards Government" / interview by Ben Merens, WPR
(WHAD-FM) 1997 August 19
|
|
|
Audio
1920/18
|
"Junk Food Politics," First Unitarian Church forum 1997 December 07
|
|
|
Audio
1920/19
|
WUWM-FM at 10, 2000 June 26
|
|
|
Audio
1920/20
|
WUWM-FM at 10, 2000 December 11
|
|
|
Audio
1920/21
|
Problems of Milwaukee Mayor, National Public Radio, "Morning
Edition" 2001 January 01
|
|
|
Audio
1920/22
|
WUWM-FM at 10, 2001 February 26
|
|
|
Audio
1920/23
|
Kathleen Dunn interview, WPR 2001 February 27
|
|
|
M2002-015
|
Videotapes
|
|
|
Mordecai Lee, 1978-1982
|
|
|
“Human Dimension on the legislative process” [University of
Minnesota law school class], 1992 October 15
|
|
|
“Preserving Middle Eastern Peace” [Marian College],
1994 March 30
|
|
|
Wisconsin High School Model United Nations Conference, 1994 March
10
|
|
|
“Y2K University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Community Conversation,”
1999 July 20
|
|
|
WTMJ Election Commentator, 1980 November 4
|
|
|
Mark Belling's WISN program Talk AM 1130,
1980-2001
29 videotapes
|
|
|
