UWM Libraries Digital Collections

The Digital Collections at the UWM Libraries include over 190,000 photographic images, maps, and books drawn from the collections of the American Geographical Society Library, the Archives, Special Collections, and the Curriculum Collection.

Detail from ACT UP pamphlet

Select videos from the ACT UP Milwaukee collection

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image of Great Buddha of Bamiyan in Afghanistant

Afghanistan: Images from the Harrison Forman Collection contain images that document the life and culture of Afghanistan in the 1950s and 1960s.

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older model car in front of pyramid

Africa presents images from the holdings of the American Geographical Society (AGS) Library. The selection focuses on the countries of southern and eastern Africa.

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Detail of the tower of Milwaukee City Hall

The African Americans in the Milwaukee Police Department Oral History Project includes twelve audio interviews with retired and current Milwaukee Police, 2016-2017

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A collage of four individuals whose interviews are part of the African-American Alumni Oral History Project collection

A collection of interviews with prominent African American alumni of UWM

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Group of people holding up numbers in front of a Pride flag

The AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin collection presents 226 images and 7 films documenting the fight against AIDS in Milwaukee, and the work of the ARCW

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portrait of woman with lace collar

This collection presents 143 images and documents from Anna Estelle Paddock's work for the Young Women's Christian Association in China from 1905-1913.

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Detail of an architectural drawing

Architectural Drawings of Willis and Lillian Leenhouts digital collection includes over 80 architectural drawings and sketches from the mid-1940s through the 1980s.

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image of construction zone

Selections from the Records of the American Geographical Society of New York, founded in 1851, the oldest geographical organization in the U.S.

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Detail from button for the AIDS Walk Wisconsin 1994 from the ARCW collection

This exhibit views the history of HIV-AIDS in Wisconsin through the lens of the Aids Resource Center of Wisconsin and allied groups

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Detail from the cover an issue of Art Muscle

Art Muscle Magazine (1986-1996) was a bi-monthly art publication located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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image of the Great Wall of China

Asia and Middle East presents over 30,000 images (and counting) from the holdings of the American Geographical Society Library.

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illustration of prop plane in the air

The Aviation History Collection presents the development of modern aviation through sources from the George Hardie Collection.

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Detail from the Celestial Atlas

The Atlas Novus Coelestis (1742) is the major work of Johann Gabriel Doppelmayr. Also featured is the Grosser Atlas Uber die Ganze Welt, 1731.

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detail of fan painting

The Chinese Scrolls and Fan Paintings collection presents over 120 scrolls and fans from the 18th-20th centuries.

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aerial view of New York City

Cities Around the World presents over 6,100 photographic images from the slide collections of the American Geographical Society Library.

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detail of two men speaking from Conversation video collection

Conversation is a series of 29 half-hour video interviews with prominent Americans produced by UWM from 1970 to 1972.

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COVID-19 MKE launched on March 15, 2020, inviting the greater Milwaukee area to share items that would document its encounter with the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Screenshot from the Curative Care Network video collection

The Curative Care Network was a service organization helping people with disabilities in the Milwaukee region. This collection includes select video, 1930-1982.

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Detail from Curriculum Collection

Selections from the Curriculum Historical Collection including 30 full-text books, picture books, instructional books and primary readers for teaching.

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Danube Swabian Immigration to Milwaukee image button

Collection of interviews with Danube Swabian immigrants giving insight into the Danube Basin, prisoner-of-war camps, realities of WWII, and settlement in Milwaukee.

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Desi Wisconsin logo

Oral histories and photographs documenting the experience of South Asian immigrants to Milwaukee and Wisconsin, 1950-1970.

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Drummer from a photograph by Dick Blau

This collection of photographer and filmmaker Dick Blau’s ethnographic projects includes over 500 images from Blau’s published work.

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detail of map

The Digital Map Collection currently contains over 5,000 maps, ranging from early maps of Asia to historical maps of Wisconsin and many other cities and sites.

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Cropped image of a map of Wisconsin from one of the titles in the Imprints on Wisconsin collection

Early Imprints on Wisconsin, 1836-1860 includes printed works on the Territory and State of Wisconsin published before the American Civil War in the UWM Libraries

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Eldon Murray was a prominent activist in the Milwaukee LGBT community. This collection includes selections from his Papers.

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Image of the Arc de Triomphe

Europe presents images from the extensive holdings of the American Geographical Society (AGS) Library, focusing on the countries of Europe.

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Detail from the French World War I Posters collection

The digital collection includes a selection of French World War I posters from the holdings of the AGSL.

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Image of group waiting in front of church

Gathering Places is a living archive of Milwaukee’s places of worship; an ongoing project developed by the UWM Public History Program.

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Illustration of a statue of a man looking out over a lake

Greetings from Milwaukee Postcard Collection presents 755 postcards from Thomas and Jean Ross Bliffert in the Archives Department.

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detail of handwritten correspondence

Harrison Forman was a prominent photojournalist and world traveler and a Fellow of the American Geographical Society. The diaries cover the period from 1932-1973.

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Detail of a photo of two people on a snowy mountainside

Images of Russia and Caucasus Region 1929-1933 presents over 800 images and 21 films, particularly of rural areas in Georgia and Dagestan.

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Man reading Invictus newspaper

The Invictus, launched in 1977, was published by the UWM Black Student Union (BSU) and ran until 1995.

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Italians in Milwaukee collection button

Transcripts and audio from an oral history project studying the first generation Italians who settled in Milwaukee's Third Ward.

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aerial view of parking lots and buildings

The James Blair Murdoch Photographs collection presents 2,636 images from 1920-1965 of Milwaukee area businesses and schools.

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Detail from the Jeypore Portfolio

The Jeypore Portfolio of Architectural Details digital collections includes two of the twelve volumes from an original 1890-1913 publication.

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Detail of an illustration from the Kaleidoscope newspapre

The Kaleidoscope Newspaper was a radical-liberal underground news source in Milwaukee from 1967-1971 with a total of 105 biweekly issues.

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Man speaking into multiple microphones

This collection documents efforts during 1970-71 academic year to improve conditions for the Latino community at UWM

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UWM Archives houses many collections documenting LGBT+ history in Milwaukee, including the Gay and Lesbian Liberation Movement, AIDS activism and marriage equality.

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Sign for the Look Here! exhibit

The Look Here! initiative asked artists to reimagine, transform, and engage with our digital collections.

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Marchers carrying American flag

This digital collection presents a window onto Milwaukee’s civil rights history during the 1960s with photographs, film footage, text documents and oral interviews.

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Screenshot of a video from the TriCable Tonight video collection

Select video produced by the Milwaukee Gay/Lesbian Cable Network (MGLCN) from 1987 to 1994

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Two men carrying a Pride flag

Interviews conducted by members of the Milwaukee LGBT History Project from 2003 to 2007

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Detail of Milwaukee map

This collection features maps housed at the City of Milwaukee’s official records center and document repository, the Milwaukee Municipal Research Center (MRC).

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View of city street

Milwaukee Neighborhoods presents 832 photographs and 12 historical maps of Milwaukee from 1885-1992.

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Two girls in ballet costumes from the Milwaukee Polonia collection

The Milwaukee Polonia collection presents 32,000 images taken by Roman Kwasniewski illustrating the history of the Polish-American community from early 1900s-1940s.

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Detail of an actor on stage

Milwaukee Repertory Theater Photographic History presents 1,800 images documenting 195 performances over 17 seasons from 1977 to 1994.

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Detail of cover of Socialist Sunday School pamphlet dated 1914

Emil Seidel was Milwaukee's first socialist mayor. This collection includes his mayoral and personal papers, and his unpublished autobiography.

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Collage of four portraits

Interviews with eight individuals concerning Milwaukee's transgender community and its history

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Soldiers marching down a city street

This collection presents 90 images documenting the beginning of World War II in Poland, in late August and early September 1939

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railroad tracks amid mountains

AGSL Digital Photo Archive - North and Central America presents images from the holdings of the American Geographical Society (AGS) Library.

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palm trees on coast

AGSL Digital Photo Archive - Oceania presents images from the holdings of the American Geographical Society (AGS) Library.

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portrait of Golda Meir

Picturing Golda Meir is a collection of 157 images documenting the life of Golda Meir between 1904 and 1987, housed in the Archives Department.

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Photographer with camera on tripod wearing winter coat

The Polar Exploration collection includes 628 images documenting several expeditions to the polar regions from late 19th century to mid-20th century.

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Group photo from a picnic

The Polish-Jewish Relations in Milwaukee Oral History Project presents seven oral history interviews conducted with merchants and their descendants in 1990.

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Detail of a Sanborn map

The Digital Sanborn Maps of Milwaukee 1894 and 1910 collection includes two atlases of the fire insurance maps of Milwaukee produced by the Sanborn Map Company.

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Photograph of two men in a field

Shall Not Be Recognized presents images and verbal portraits of thirty Milwaukee long-term same-sex couples by Will Fellows and photographer Jeff Pearcy.

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Detail from a sheet music cover

The Sheet Music Collection includes over 350 (and growing) items, from song sheets to solo piano and violin sonatas

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Logo for the Society of American Archivists

The Society of American Archivists (SAA) collection contains oral history interviews with leaders from the archival profession

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Aerial photo of mountains and clouds

AGSL Digital Photo Archive - South America presents images from the holdings of the American Geographical Society (AGS) Library.

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Detail from The Sphere Zine

Published in Milwaukee from 1993-1995, The Sphere is the nation's first grocery fanzine.

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Image from the Tibet collection

The digital collection presents historical maps and images of Tibet from the holdings of the American Geographical Society (AGS) Library.

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Highway scene

Transportation Around the World: 1911-1993 presents over 650 photographic images from the collections of the American Geographical Society Library.

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Cropped images from one of the titles in the Art Books collection

UWM Book Arts Collection includes digital representations of 31 artists' books from the Special Collections at the UWM Libraries.

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Collage of four men

The UWM Oral History Project collection presents 21 interviews as a part of UWM's 25th anniversary celebration.

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Image of a college classroom

UWM Photo Collection presents 684 images documenting the history of the University from 1956 - present to commemorate UWM's 50th anniversary.

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A logo from the UWM Post resembling a postcard

The UWM Post Newspaper collection includes a full run of the UWM Post as it appeared in print from 1956-2012

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Image of barn, silo, hatchback car with rainbow

Images from the first 50 years of the UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha Field Station located between Wales and Dousman in Waukesha County.

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Page of photos from a yearbook

To commemorate UWM's 50th anniversary, the UWM Libraries prepared a digital collection of the student yearbook, The Ivy.

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Image of a barber shop

The collection includes transcripts and audio interviews with six Milwaukee barbers, conducted as part of a 1994 class project.

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landscape of mountains, trees, and water

The Western Photograph Collection presents 250 images from the American Geographical Society Library, by Timothy H. O’Sullivan (1840-1882)

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Detail of correspondence with United States Senate letterhead

The William Allison "Definition of Liberalism" collection includes letters from prominent politicians, in 1960, answering Allison's question, "What is Liberalism?"

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Detail from a textile from the Wisconsin Arts Projects of the WPA collection

The Wisconsin Arts Projects of the WPA from 1935-1943 features artwork, manuscripts, published materials, and audio recorded interviews.

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This collection includes video interviews with medical and social service workers, and long-time survivors who describe the history of HIV/AIDS in Wisconsin

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Image from the Milwaukee Newsreel

WTMJ-TV News Search is a catalog of nearly 50,000 news stories broadcast from 1950 to 1980 by WTMJ-TV, an NBC-affiliated station located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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Detail from a poster from the Yiddish Posters collection

The Yiddish Poster collection presents 78 posters of advertisements for performances and presentations between the 1920s-1930s in Eastern Europe.

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