Barbara and Ulysses Brown
"If you live long enough, you have many stories” says Ulysses Brown. The Browns opened up their 2,363 sq. ft. home to the 2014 BLC Field School after several years of restoration and renovation projects at their home. Built in the early 1900s, the Brown’s took down the paneling and removed colorful shag carpet put in decades earlier by previous owners to restore the original plaster and oak floors. Fully complementing the historical architecture of the house, new upgrades prepared the house for another 100 years. Mrs. Brown got her dream kitchen and Mr. Brown got his entertainment center supported by an upgraded electrical system. The Browns value the woodwork, detailing, and ceiling height in their present home. The neighborhood’s proximity to work, downtown, and recreation made Washington Park a desirable location to raise their children. Ulysses and Barbara Brown have lived in their home for over 30 years. They are one of three remaining families who have lived in the same neighborhood block since the mid-1970s. The Browns have many stories to share. With a VA home loan and the generosity of their realtor, the Brown's moved into their home "very quickly". They had two pieces of furniture and little else. From that they built an incredible life. From their wedding, which took place in the house, to hosting Mardi Gras and other family gatherings, you are invited into their home and lives. Mr. Brown is retired and Mrs. Brown works for Veolia. Ulysses & Barbara Brown, interview by Nicole Robinson, June 2014. |
Mrs. Brown talks about first starting out and where they are now.
In 1982 the Brown's were married in the house. The bay window served as an alter.
Mrs. Brown reflects on the life she built with her husband.
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Passing on Norms to the Next GenerationMr. Brown notes that a family needs a place to all be together. He observes that it's through these shared places that work ethic, expectations, and lessons are shared from one generation to the next and that his children a reflection of him and his wife just as he is a reflection of his parents. This is a particularly important point given the central city's Black male unemployment rate and number of female-headed households.
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Neighborhood ReflectionsAs you listen to Mr. & Mrs. Brown's personal stories, you’ll hear about larger social forces directly affecting their lives and the neighborhood. They lived through residential segregation in the 1950s, riots in 1960/70s, and physical changes to the neighborhood and Milwaukee as a whole. Listening closely, you’ll hear social policies that supported home ownership and practices that facilitate (or impede) neighborhood identity. One characteristic they note is the difficulty of establishing community with so many of its rental residents moving in and out. Another is how neighborhood schools also shaped neighborhood identity.
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Racial Segregation & IntegrationAs the Browns retell the history of Milwaukee in general and their neighborhood in particular, they describe periods of racial segregation and periods of racial integration. In the 1900s the area was mostly German. For a period in the 1970s the neighborhood block was racially diverse with Black, Hispanic, and White residents. Now a mostly Black area, the Browns describe the change in the neighborhood's racial make up as "happening over night".
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Mr. Brown describes segregation and racial integration in the area (above/below). A photo of the 1910 census shows the residents were of German descent.
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