New Book Explores History of American Indians in Milwaukee

Aug. 1, 2011 - PRLog -- The newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s popular Images of America series is American Indians in Milwaukee from local authors Antonio J. Doxtator and Renee J. Zakhar. The book boasts more than 200 vintage images and memories of days gone by.

Milwaukee is an Algonquin word meaning “the gathering place.” Wisconsin’s 11 American Indian tribes have long gathered in the city, contributing to its name and origins. American Indians continue to assist in Milwaukee’s growth through nationally recognized innovations in education, gaming, and cultural representation.

The city’s “founding mother,” a Menominee Indian, continued trading partnerships with the area’s native residents until Indian removal in the 1830s. Over the next century, Indians returned to Milwaukee as visitors, creating villages at the state fair and lakefront grounds.

By the 1930s, Indians again called the city home and expressed their common heritage through Pan-Indian organizations. Later the new ideals of the national Red Power movement helped transform those organizations into successful city institutions such as the Indian Community School, Potawatomi Bingo and Casino, and Indian Summer Festival.

Highlights of American Indians in Milwaukee:
•   The majority of the images in the book are from local public institutions, which have never before been published.
•   The book contains little known facts of relationships between American Indians, public places, and local public figures.
•   Even after American Indian removal, Wisconsin Indians remained part of the social consciousness of Milwaukee, by recreating villages on the lake, and returning to perform in pageants and shows.

Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com or
(888)-313-2665.

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With more than 6,000 local history titles published to date, Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Widely recognized sepia books feature hundreds of vintage historical images.