The UWM Libraries’ Distinctive Collections are hosting pop-up exhibits in honor of Latine Heritage Month Sept. 14-Oct. 15.
Located within the American Geographical Society Library (AGSL), a part of the Archives and Special Collections at the Golda Meir Library, each exhibit showcased unique materials from its respective collections.
The AGSL exhibit, curated by Andrea Dominique Urbina, a digitizing intern at the AGSL, focused on showcasing maps across Latin America that explored the region’s history, geography and culture.
“For the exhibit, I made a list of all the Latin American countries and chose one or two different types of maps to show political, transportation and culture from different time periods,” Urbina said.
The exhibit featured maps that highlighted Indigenous groups and showcased how geographic representations evolved over time. Each map varied in style, featuring diverse fonts and colors. Despite their age, many of the maps remained well preserved.
“We tried to include every country and different types of maps to showcase the various resources we have here,” Urbina said.
The Archives collection also delved into Latinx history. They focused primarily on activism at the UWM and within the broader Milwaukee Latinx community.
“We have done a few exhibits, digital projects, and programming that have focused on the Latinx student takeover of the Chancellor’s office in Chapman Hall during the 1970s,” said Eli Frank, the Archives intern. “[This] led to the Spanish Speaking Outreach Institute at UWM, which is now the Roberto Hernandez Center.”
According to Frank, the planning process involved considering several ideas before focusing on the visually striking posters from Voces de la Frontera as a key component of the exhibit. These political and protest posters represent a small part of the larger Voces de la Frontera collection housed in the archives.
“That’s the theme that runs through a lot of the materials here: the different communities working in solidarity with one another,” said Frank.
The Archives’ focus on history and culture extends beyond this exhibit, serving as a valuable resource for students and scholars alike. On Oct. 10, AGSL will host a book talk with Sergio Gonzalez, author of “Mexicans in Wisconsin” and “Strangers No Longer: Latino Belonging and Faith in Twentieth-Century Wisconsin.”
“Social justice and the history of underrepresented and marginalized communities are a major focus for us and we encourage people to stop by,” said Frank. “We have a lot of one-of-a-kind primary sources that can help you write research papers and we’re happy to connect people with those resources.”
The Special Collections exhibit, curated by Max Yela, head of Special Collections, showcased a variety of Latinx artistic styles, including xilografía (woodcut printmaking) and litografía (lithography), both traditional forms of visual expression in Latin America.
The UWM Libraries’ Distinctive Collections pop-up exhibits offer a rich exploration of Latin American history, culture and activism, providing a unique opportunity to engage with the diverse narratives that shape our understanding of the Latinx experience.