Uniquely Milwaukee Radio Milwaukee
-
- Society & Culture
-
Our flagship program finds the stories in Milwaukee that lift your spirits, prompt you to think, make you feel grateful and inspire you to do more. They connect you to our community, shining a spotlight on what is good about the city, what still needs work, and what makes it Uniquely Milwaukee.
-
Milwaukee neighborhoods with John Gurda: North Milwaukee & Harambee
Eight years ago, local historian and writer John Gurda sat down with 88Nine to share stories from Milwaukee’s neighborhoods. The idea for the series came after the release of Gurda’s 2015 book, Milwaukee: City of Neighborhoods, which chronicles 37 contemporary portraits of Milwaukee’s neighborhoods.
With the weather warming and conditions ripe for exploring the city, we decided it was the ideal time to look back at this collection and share Gurda’s very well-informed perspective on these well-known areas of Milwaukee. After starting on the south end of town, this episode finds us moving north.
North Milwaukee
Although this neighborhood borrows the name of our fair city, its history is rooted in independence. In fact, it’s one of just two Milwaukee neighborhoods (Bayview is the other) that were once independent suburbs.
Both of those areas have industrial foundations, with North Milwaukee’s clustered around the intersection of two railroad lines: one going to Minneapolis and the other to Green Bay. This crossing defined the neighborhood and is still visible in a map of its rectangular setup, with a big iron “X” running through it. The transportation benefit had people moving from other parts of town to the newly established North Milwaukee, which remained independent from 1918 to 1929.
Harambee
This long, narrow neighborhood stretches from North Avenue to Capitol Drive and I-43 to Holston Street. While its name comes from the Swahili word that means “pulling together,” neither the name nor its cultural heritage were present in the early days. Instead — like many parts of Milwaukee — it was originally settled by Germans in the mid-1800s.
More than a century later, the neighborhood became an epicenter for civil rights in the 1960s and 1970s, fighting against institutional racism such as segregation in schools and housing. Around that time that, it officially adopted the name “Harambee” and remains a stronghold of Black culture and commerce in Milwaukee. -
Milwaukee neighborhoods with John Gurda: Riverwest and the East Side
Eight years ago, local historian and writer John Gurda sat down with 88Nine to share stories from Milwaukee’s neighborhoods. The idea for the series came after the release of Gurda’s 2015 book, Milwaukee: City of Neighborhoods, which chronicles 37 contemporary portraits of Milwaukee’s neighborhoods.
With the weather warming and conditions ripe for exploring the city, we decided it was the ideal time to look back at this collection and share Gurda’s very well-informed perspective on these well-known areas of Milwaukee. After starting on the south end of town, this episode finds us moving a little closer to the lake as we explore to more neighborhoods: Riverwest and the East Side.
Produced by Marcus Doucette -
MKE Neighborhoods with John Gurda: Walker's Point and the Historic South Side
Eight years ago, local historian and writer John Gurda sat down with 88Nine to share stories from Milwaukee’s neighborhoods. The idea for the series came after the release of Gurda’s 2015 book, Milwaukee: City of Neighborhoods, which chronicles 37 contemporary portraits of Milwaukee’s neighborhoods.
With the weather warming and conditions ripe for exploring the city, we decided it was the ideal time to look back at this collection and share Gurda’s very well-informed perspective on these well-known areas of Milwaukee. We start on the south end of town with one neighborhood that was there from the city's beginning, Walker's Point, and a gateway to the immigrant experience, the Historic South Side.
Curated by Jordan Lee
Produced by Marcus Doucette -
Exploring Palestinian Heritage through Milwaukee’s Cooking Workshop
On this episode of Uniquely Milwaukee, in celebration of International Women’s Day, we delve into the story of two generations of Palestinian women, Muna Sharma and her mother, navigating the complexities of identity in a politicized world through food. From tales of resilience in the kitchen to the harrowing experience of making a meal during a home raid, we explore why cultural preservation is essential and how Bint Jamila’s Table is bringing Palestinian cuisine to Milwaukee through its cooking workshops.
-
Ignored history: How Milwaukee’s Jimmy Banks broke barriers in the World Cup
In this episode of Uniquely Milwaukee, I sit down with Jimmy Banks' son, Jordan Banks, and close friend Wendell Willis to delve deeper into his legacy, why his story remains largely untold, and the invaluable lessons for those on and off the field.
-
Music and our Brains: A Conversation with a Milwaukee Music Therapist
In this episode of Uniquely Milwaukee, I interview Makenzie Kojis, a Music Therapist from Milwaukee, to explore the field of music therapy. We delve into the scientific relationship between music and the brain, and discuss the advantages of this type of therapy.
Customer Reviews
<3
Salam is such a good interviewer :’)
Bobby Rivers
I have listened to Bobby interview many people but never heard him being interviewed. Great job! A Trailblazer, yes, but he made us listeners feel he was always having his best day! Thank you for sharing his story!
We love 88Nine!
Thoughtful and nuanced storytelling that adds some depth to how I look at the city of Milwaukee