Just in time for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, the UWM Archives have created an online exhibit, “Milwaukee Meets Washington,” showcasing the many times presidents and presidential candidates have visited the city.
The exhibit includes vintage newsreel video and historical photos dating back more than a century. That would be Teddy Roosevelt’s 1912 campaign stop, where he famously delivered a 50-page speech, while still bleeding, after having been shot in the chest by a would-be assassin.
Each segment is accompanied by text that describes what happened. All the visits are plotted on a map, and users can click on the map to go directly to each segment.
Several visits have UWM connections, including President George Bush’s 2002 visit to the Klotsche Center and then Vice President Joe Biden’s 2010 town hall in the Student Union, as well as campaign stops by Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders.
The exhibit also includes discussion about when and why Wisconsin became a swing state.
The exhibit was created by archives student worker Matt Cavenaile.
