David Schiff
Film 150
Extra Credit
12/14/09
President Obama has decided to send 30,000 extra troops to Afghanistan at a cost of more than $100 billion a year it is time to rethink Afghanistan. (rethinkAfghanistan.com) Rethink Afghanistan is a 2009 documentary that is divided into 6 parts about the ongoing war in Afghanistan. This full length documentary discusses military escalation, the effect on Pakistan, the high cost of war, civilian causalities, and the rights of Afghan women. Rethink Afghanistan advocates an alternative vision to the U.S. policy of sending more troops to Afghanistan. Rethink Afghanistan is directed by Robert Greenwald who also did Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers and Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price. Rethink Afghanistan contains an urgent plea to write your congressman and to vote no for the escalation of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. The war in Afghanistan began on October 7th, 2001 as a part of the U. S. military’s Operation Enduring Freedom in response to the attacks of September 11th, 2001.
The film students of IML 340 examined the documentary Rethink Afghanistan and using clips from it and other found footage created their own 3 minute clips. 2 of them particularly stuck in my mind, one was Auratic Axes by Tiffany Chen and a piece by Corinda Dimes that used WWII newsreels. Tiffany’s piece uses the media images and the horror of war in an unforgettable way. Tiffany defines auratic axes as referring to the blows (the ax) delivered by the aura of an image. Corinda’s piece asks the question why anyone isn’t supporting the war in Afghanistan the way Americans came together during WWII. I thought that was a very thought provoking question. The other projects that were done by the IML 340 students were all very good and made you rethink Afghanistan using images containing the horrors of war including civilian causalities and the effects of war on a country. The students also did a good job of displaying how media sensationalism can persuade the thinking of an entire nation.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Artist Statement II
David Schiff
Film 150
12/11/2009
Artist Statement II
In order to understand the history of the South Side of Milwaukee it is best to begin to first define the neighborhoods that make up the South side of Milwaukee. Bay View which was incorporated in 1879 and is Milwaukee’s first suburb is a good place to start. Bay View in 1887 voted to join the city of Milwaukee to obtain city services of which water was the most important. Bay View has the last remaining public well in the city of Milwaukee: the Pryor Avenue Iron Well. On May 1st of 1886 approximately 7,000 Milwaukee trade workers and 5,000 Polish laborers went on strike demanding an 8 hr day. In a foreshadowing of the ethnic diversity of the South side banners promoting the 8 hour theme were in English, German, and Polish.
On May 4th the strikers gathered at St. Stanislaus Church intent on marching on North Chicago Rolling Mill in Bay View were met by the militia who fired shots over their head as a warning. Later in the same day a bomb exploded in Chicago’s Hay Market Square during an 8 hour day demonstration killing 7 policemen and wounding 60. Tensions in Milwaukee began to grow. Demonstrators despite the events of the previous day began their march on North Chicago Rolling Mill. Governor Rusk issued the order to the General of the National Guard “Fire on them”. 4 laborers were killed and 6 more were wounded and not expected to live through the night. (www.wilaborers.org) Polish workers became the focus of employer backlash from the 8-hour day movement and an example to any worker who was thinking of supporting worker rights.
Father James Groppi was born in the Bay View neighborhood to Italian immigrant parents. James father joined others from Italy in Milwaukee’s grocery business opening Groppi’s Store in Bay View. James went to Immaculate Conception a parochial grade school and on to a public high school in Bay View. Groppi was ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood in 1959 and in 1963 he became the priest at St. Boniface which had a predominant African-American congregation. It was here that Father Groppi became active in civil rights for Black Americans. In 1965 Father Groppi became the advisor to the Milwaukee chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and protested the segregation of Milwaukee Public Schools. He also demonstrated against the city of Milwaukee on the behalf of fair housing. He marched across the 16th St. Viaduct which has been renamed in his honor. I included pictures of the 16th St Bridge because I felt it was significant that Father Groppi had the courage to cross the imaginary border that racially divided Milwaukee. I also included a picture of Father Groppi demonstrating at the Eagles Club because at the time it was an all white club, and later became a Latino attraction where dances were held and now is known as the Rave and has alternative music concerts.
Holler Park is a small neighborhood on the far South side near Mitchell Airport. Holler Park features a 10,000 sq. ft. “Rain Garden” with Wisconsin perennials, walking paths, and benches. Holler Park is known as the “Gateway to Milwaukee”. I included some pictures of the rain garden. Jackson Park is a neighborhood on the South side that has seen a growing number of Hispanic residents. Jones Island is a peninsula located at the Milwaukee Harbor. It began as a fishing village populated by Polish settlers in 1870. The settlers never obtained a deed for the land and were evicted by the city of Milwaukee in 1940 to make way for a shipping port, the Port of Milwaukee. It also supports the Hoan Bridge, a long span bridge that was named after Daniel Hoan the former socialist mayor of Milwaukee. The Hoan Bridge connects I-794 to the Lake freeway across the Milwaukee river inlet. I included several pictures of Jones Island and the Hoan Bridge.
Layton Park is on the Southwest side and has a large Hispanic population. It is where Loyola Academy and the Spanish Speaking Outreach Institute are located. The Spanish Center was founded by Milwaukee priest John Maurice in 1968. Maurice organized the Milwaukee Archdiocesan Council for the Spanish Speaking in 1963. This organization helped to establish the Spanish Center by providing legal aid, health care, education, employment, and housing services. The term Spanish-Speaking was used because Milwaukee’s “Spanish-speaking” population was different from other cities because it had an almost equal number of Puerto Ricans and Mexican-Americans. New York City for example was dominated by the Puerto Ricans and California by Mexican-Americans. Outreach Institute was used to reflect the understanding of the community and Latino leaders to respond the needs of Milwaukee’s Latino population.
Lincoln Village has a rich history and contains a national landmark the Basilica of St. Josaphat which I mentioned in my previous artist statement. The Holler House Tavern is also located in Lincoln Village and contains the oldest certified bowling alley in the United States. Holler House just celebrated its 100th anniversary on September 14, 2008. I included an original print advertisement for the Holler House and a picture of the bowling alley. Lincoln Village is also home to the Forest Home Cemetery which is rumored to be haunted. You can take a guided tour through the cemetery and witness the people who built Milwaukee. Lincoln Village is currently experiencing a large influx of Hispanics from Mexico and Los Angeles. Mitchell Street is also largely Hispanic and is home to St. Stanislaus Catholic Church on Mitchell and 5th. St. Stanislaus is a national landmark and I included a picture of it. Tippecanoe is located on the city’s far south side and was developed by landowner John Saveland. Saveland an outspoken Republican whose political slogan was “Tippecanoe and Tyler too” intended to develop the land as an upper income suburban community.
Walkers Point is home to the Esperanza Unida International Building that has the Mural of Peace on its side. The Mural of Peace is Wisconsin’s largest mural; it depicts an eagle and a dove with a sunburst rainbow of flags. Reynaldo Hernandez designed the mural while community volunteers painted the four by eight foot aluminum panels which make up the 60 x 152 ft. image. The mural was completed in 1994. Esperanza Unida was founded by Richard Oulahan to help the South side Hispanic families with training and jobs. Esperanza Unida developed a self-sustaining job training model that was studied and implemented around the country. Esperanza Unida provided counseling, job training, and job-placement services for hundreds of residents. (esperanzaunida.org) I included a picture of the mural which is impressive and very recognizable. Walker’s Point is also home to the Allen Bradley Clock Tower which is the largest 4 sided clock tower in the world. Father Groppi led a demonstration in 1968 outside Allen-Bradley because they employed few Latino or black workers. Walker’s Point is also known as the “Fifth Ward” or Latin Quarter.
The Town of Lake is where Patrick Cudahy bought land in 1892 for his meatpacking business. In 1895 the area was incorporated as the Village of Cudahy. After Cudahy became a city it annexed lands south to the border of South Milwaukee. As a part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal an octagonal tower was built in 1938. It was to be the Lake City Hall and double as a water tower. In 2001 the internal tank was removed and the building was converted to office space.
Works cited
Gurda, John. The Making of Milwaukee. Wisconsin Historical Institute
Hill, Evan. Milwaukee Neighborhoods Milwaukee.com
Jones, Patrick. The Selma of the North: Civil Rights Insurgency in Milwaukee. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press, 2009
Rodriguez, A. Joseph. Latinos at UWM: A History of the Spanish Speaking Outreach Institute and the Roberto Hernandez Center.
Film 150
12/11/2009
Artist Statement II
In order to understand the history of the South Side of Milwaukee it is best to begin to first define the neighborhoods that make up the South side of Milwaukee. Bay View which was incorporated in 1879 and is Milwaukee’s first suburb is a good place to start. Bay View in 1887 voted to join the city of Milwaukee to obtain city services of which water was the most important. Bay View has the last remaining public well in the city of Milwaukee: the Pryor Avenue Iron Well. On May 1st of 1886 approximately 7,000 Milwaukee trade workers and 5,000 Polish laborers went on strike demanding an 8 hr day. In a foreshadowing of the ethnic diversity of the South side banners promoting the 8 hour theme were in English, German, and Polish.
On May 4th the strikers gathered at St. Stanislaus Church intent on marching on North Chicago Rolling Mill in Bay View were met by the militia who fired shots over their head as a warning. Later in the same day a bomb exploded in Chicago’s Hay Market Square during an 8 hour day demonstration killing 7 policemen and wounding 60. Tensions in Milwaukee began to grow. Demonstrators despite the events of the previous day began their march on North Chicago Rolling Mill. Governor Rusk issued the order to the General of the National Guard “Fire on them”. 4 laborers were killed and 6 more were wounded and not expected to live through the night. (www.wilaborers.org) Polish workers became the focus of employer backlash from the 8-hour day movement and an example to any worker who was thinking of supporting worker rights.
Father James Groppi was born in the Bay View neighborhood to Italian immigrant parents. James father joined others from Italy in Milwaukee’s grocery business opening Groppi’s Store in Bay View. James went to Immaculate Conception a parochial grade school and on to a public high school in Bay View. Groppi was ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood in 1959 and in 1963 he became the priest at St. Boniface which had a predominant African-American congregation. It was here that Father Groppi became active in civil rights for Black Americans. In 1965 Father Groppi became the advisor to the Milwaukee chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and protested the segregation of Milwaukee Public Schools. He also demonstrated against the city of Milwaukee on the behalf of fair housing. He marched across the 16th St. Viaduct which has been renamed in his honor. I included pictures of the 16th St Bridge because I felt it was significant that Father Groppi had the courage to cross the imaginary border that racially divided Milwaukee. I also included a picture of Father Groppi demonstrating at the Eagles Club because at the time it was an all white club, and later became a Latino attraction where dances were held and now is known as the Rave and has alternative music concerts.
Holler Park is a small neighborhood on the far South side near Mitchell Airport. Holler Park features a 10,000 sq. ft. “Rain Garden” with Wisconsin perennials, walking paths, and benches. Holler Park is known as the “Gateway to Milwaukee”. I included some pictures of the rain garden. Jackson Park is a neighborhood on the South side that has seen a growing number of Hispanic residents. Jones Island is a peninsula located at the Milwaukee Harbor. It began as a fishing village populated by Polish settlers in 1870. The settlers never obtained a deed for the land and were evicted by the city of Milwaukee in 1940 to make way for a shipping port, the Port of Milwaukee. It also supports the Hoan Bridge, a long span bridge that was named after Daniel Hoan the former socialist mayor of Milwaukee. The Hoan Bridge connects I-794 to the Lake freeway across the Milwaukee river inlet. I included several pictures of Jones Island and the Hoan Bridge.
Layton Park is on the Southwest side and has a large Hispanic population. It is where Loyola Academy and the Spanish Speaking Outreach Institute are located. The Spanish Center was founded by Milwaukee priest John Maurice in 1968. Maurice organized the Milwaukee Archdiocesan Council for the Spanish Speaking in 1963. This organization helped to establish the Spanish Center by providing legal aid, health care, education, employment, and housing services. The term Spanish-Speaking was used because Milwaukee’s “Spanish-speaking” population was different from other cities because it had an almost equal number of Puerto Ricans and Mexican-Americans. New York City for example was dominated by the Puerto Ricans and California by Mexican-Americans. Outreach Institute was used to reflect the understanding of the community and Latino leaders to respond the needs of Milwaukee’s Latino population.
Lincoln Village has a rich history and contains a national landmark the Basilica of St. Josaphat which I mentioned in my previous artist statement. The Holler House Tavern is also located in Lincoln Village and contains the oldest certified bowling alley in the United States. Holler House just celebrated its 100th anniversary on September 14, 2008. I included an original print advertisement for the Holler House and a picture of the bowling alley. Lincoln Village is also home to the Forest Home Cemetery which is rumored to be haunted. You can take a guided tour through the cemetery and witness the people who built Milwaukee. Lincoln Village is currently experiencing a large influx of Hispanics from Mexico and Los Angeles. Mitchell Street is also largely Hispanic and is home to St. Stanislaus Catholic Church on Mitchell and 5th. St. Stanislaus is a national landmark and I included a picture of it. Tippecanoe is located on the city’s far south side and was developed by landowner John Saveland. Saveland an outspoken Republican whose political slogan was “Tippecanoe and Tyler too” intended to develop the land as an upper income suburban community.
Walkers Point is home to the Esperanza Unida International Building that has the Mural of Peace on its side. The Mural of Peace is Wisconsin’s largest mural; it depicts an eagle and a dove with a sunburst rainbow of flags. Reynaldo Hernandez designed the mural while community volunteers painted the four by eight foot aluminum panels which make up the 60 x 152 ft. image. The mural was completed in 1994. Esperanza Unida was founded by Richard Oulahan to help the South side Hispanic families with training and jobs. Esperanza Unida developed a self-sustaining job training model that was studied and implemented around the country. Esperanza Unida provided counseling, job training, and job-placement services for hundreds of residents. (esperanzaunida.org) I included a picture of the mural which is impressive and very recognizable. Walker’s Point is also home to the Allen Bradley Clock Tower which is the largest 4 sided clock tower in the world. Father Groppi led a demonstration in 1968 outside Allen-Bradley because they employed few Latino or black workers. Walker’s Point is also known as the “Fifth Ward” or Latin Quarter.
The Town of Lake is where Patrick Cudahy bought land in 1892 for his meatpacking business. In 1895 the area was incorporated as the Village of Cudahy. After Cudahy became a city it annexed lands south to the border of South Milwaukee. As a part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal an octagonal tower was built in 1938. It was to be the Lake City Hall and double as a water tower. In 2001 the internal tank was removed and the building was converted to office space.
Works cited
Gurda, John. The Making of Milwaukee. Wisconsin Historical Institute
Hill, Evan. Milwaukee Neighborhoods Milwaukee.com
Jones, Patrick. The Selma of the North: Civil Rights Insurgency in Milwaukee. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press, 2009
Rodriguez, A. Joseph. Latinos at UWM: A History of the Spanish Speaking Outreach Institute and the Roberto Hernandez Center.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The South Side
A tour of the South Side of Milwaukee as defined by its neighborhoods. I began with Bay View and the Bay View Massacre and Father James Groppi and ended with the murals in Walker's Point and on Cesar Chavez Dr.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Our last day at Loyola Academy
We also compared pictures that Mr. Gonzales had in his classroom of Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa. (the pictures above are not the actual pictures we used). The students noted that Zapata was on a horse and the angle looking up at him showed respect. Zapata was also carrying a gun which represented the Mexican Revolution. The students believed the image was portraying Zapata as a hero and a leader. The costume Zapata was wearing included a sombrero. Zapata was from the southern portion of Mexico.
Pancho Villa was from the northern section of Mexico. Pancho was photographed with soldiers(his homeys) and as a man of the people. The photograph expressed equality. Pancho was wearing his bandeleros or gun belt.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Milwaukee Bucks doing community work
Michael Redd of the Milwaukee Bucks hands out Thanksgiving turkeys.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Loyola Academy at Cesar Chavez mural
Mr. Gonzales was teaching his class about Cesar Chavez's boycott of grapes
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