Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce.

ABSTRACT: Minutes of meetings of various bodies of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, founded in 1861 to promote economic advancement and civic and commercial welfare in Milwaukee. The collection consists primarily of an extensive and complete run of minutes of meetings of the Association's board of directors, 1915-1964. Scattered throughout the files are minutes of the executive committee, with occasional minutes of the finance and other committees and of general membership meetings. The minutes illustrate the history of the Association, and document its projects, programs, and changes throughout the years.

All of the documents are integrated according to meeting date, thus preserving the original order of the collection. The minutes illustrate the history of the Association, list its officers and members, record its projects, programs, and the major issues which affected and interested the membership, and note changes in its activities throughout the years.

Minutes dating prior to 1915 were destroyed by the Association prior to transfer of the remainder to the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. Correspondence and other related records of MMAC are located at the Milwaukee County Historical Society.

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law. However, the researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY NOTE: The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce had its origins in the Merchants Association of Commerce had its origins in the Merchants Association, founded in 1861 to safeguard and promote the economic advancement and welfare of commercial and civic enterprises in Milwaukee. The Merchants Association was designated as a clearinghouse for various problems, while encouraging the moral and educational progress of the community. In May 1894 the Association merged with the Manufacturers Club to form the Merchants and Manufacturers Association. A further name change to the Milwaukee Association of Commerce was followed by the recent adoption of the current name.

Today the MMAC continues to promote and organize a variety of projects, many of which follow traditional lines. Several committees encourage economic development of the community, communicate with state legislators, endorse and support political candidates, and attempt to revise current tax structures for the benefit of business. Other Association work includes the areas of energy, school desegregation, anti-shoplifting campaigns, transportation (both bus and car-ferry service), youth jobs programs, and support of Milwaukee's professional sports teams. Each year the Association sponsors the downtown Christmas parade.

COLLECTION CITATION: This collection should be cited as:

Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce. Minutes, 1915-1964. Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 14. State Historical Society of Wisconsin. Milwaukee Area Research Center. Golda Meir Library. University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee.

ACQUISITION: Presented by the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, via Gordon Lewis in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1976 (accession number M76-25).

PROCESSING: Processed by Menzi Behrnd-Klodt and Thomas Reitz in November 1980.

MARC RECORD SEARCH TERMS: The following terms were used in the online bibliographic MARC record to this collection:

• Businessmen--Political activity--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
• Commercial associations--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
• Energy policy--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
• Local transit--Wisconsin--Milwaukee--Public opinion.
• Milwaukee (Wis.)--History--Sources.
• Professional sports--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
• School integration--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
• Taxation--Wisconsin--Milwaukee--Public opinion.
• World War, 1939-1945--War work--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
• Youth--Employment--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
  

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URL: http://www.uwm.edu/Library/archives/findaids/mss014.htm
Last edited on Tuesday, May 22, 2001.
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