UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
The goal of the Underground Railroad project is to connect with the community by engaging in a collaborative effort to educate the public about the city's involvement in the Underground Railroad, honoring the stories that have come from these experiences by connecting the past to the present day area.
The Underground Railroad was a significant fixture in Milwaukee during the time it was active. Legacies such as those of Caroline Quarlls and Joshua Glover have been left mostly untouched and relegated to the past. As well, the impact of the Great Migration has been downplayed in recent memory. Our mission is to bring these stories to light with the help of the Lindsay Heights neighborhood and their most prominent figures.
Community Partners:
Walnut Way
Founded by Sharon and Larry Adams, Walnut Way Conservation Corporation strives to restore and maintain the Lindsay Heights neighborhood.
Alice's Garden
Executive Director Venice Williams provides sustainable models for urban agriculture and cultural development within the community.
Fondy Food Center
As the first farmer's market to accept SNAP/EBT in the state of Wisconsin and home to over 40 local farmers and food producers, Fondy Market is a key element of battling food insecurity in the area.
WHAT'S THE PLAN?
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
In the near future, we'd like to roll out a survey to the general public gauging their interest in our project, as well as what they would prioritize regarding an installation in the area. As well, we are going to continue conducting interviews with the public and local figures of influence such as the Executive Director of Walnut Way, Antonio Butts. With his help, a focus group of local historians and relevant members of the community is also in the works to expand our repertoire of perspectives. On the website for this project, there will be a location for community members to submit stories, photographs, and testimonies to contribute to the final product. Our goal is to involve as many community members as possible to ensure this project benefits them the most.
ONLINE PRESENCE
As part of our final goal, we plan to create a full website documenting the stories of the Underground Railroad and the Great Migration to integrate with our physical work. For a project such as ours, accessibility is crucial; a strong online presence will help with our efforts at community outreach and let us inform a larger segment of the public than would be possible sticking to a purely physical project. It will also serve as a place for documentation of the project.
​
ART INSTALLATION
The final goal of our project is to create an installation (or multiple) within the Lindsay Heights area. Artists such as Ras' Ammar Nsoroma have set the precedent with works relating to the stories we want to display. With the feedback from our survey and the neighborhood focus group, we can ensure that the work we put out truly shows the values of the community while portraying history faithful to the facts. Incorporating narratives and stories from the community will help solidify this history through art.
PROJECT UPDATES
Last Updated 05/21/2020
NOTICE: Due to COVID-19 and its related protocols, all in-person activities related to this project have ceased until further notice in the interest of doing our part to protect the community. Thus, we have focused on establishing our web presence in lieu of in-person collaboration.
The dedicated group of students assigned to this project have faced a real challenge with this unprecedented pandemic. The stay at home orders have separated us physically from the very community we hoped to integrate into our project.
​
This doesn't mean all of our progress has stopped.
​
We are still able to communicate virtually with each other and with community partners. Our website has gone live to give information about our progress as well as be a resource for historical materials.
We are excited to be back in Milwaukee soon to work within this wonderful community and bring the Underground Railroad to life.
RESEARCH
To fulfill the desires of the community, it is necessary to know the community. Every member of our team conducted a specialized research project pertaining to our end goal.
David Hunger
Kenzie Swinford
Tyler Bartz
Narisse King
Anna DeBruine
Ian Knudson
Gonzalo Palacios
Emma Kroll
