The Center for Campus History’s mission is to uncover and give voice to the many groups across the university’s history who experienced and challenged discrimination and exclusion on campus. Since becoming a permanent center in 2023, the CCH has sought to continue and grow that mission, working to expand and enrich UW–Madison’s historical narrative by centering the voices, experiences, and struggles of marginalized groups. That work has taken many forms over the last year, from new archival research to classroom visits. We published new pieces of student and staff research, collaborated with other campus groups on public-facing projects, developed new curricular materials, and much more.Consider this Year in Review a sampling of what we’ve been up to.
Uncategorized
Remembering Rice Paper: The Artifact After the Obituary
By the time of the magazine’s final issue in August 1977, Rice Paper had succeeded in holding a published space for Asian American artists and writers, while simultaneously acting as a regional resource for Asian Americans in need of contacts, support and cultural centers, and various economic and career opportunities.
Driving Change: The Legacy of the Women’s Transit Authority
“Some of us have cars, so let’s share those resources with other women who don’t and give each other rides.” That was the basic idea behind the Women’s Transit Authority (WTA) — a service that became a symbol of safety and empowerment for women in Madison.
Building the Southeast Dormitories: How UW’s Postwar Building Program Unleashed Relentless University Expansion in Madison
As U.S. universities bulldozed entire neighborhoods with federal and municipal government support in the mid 20th century, they normalized an urban planning model that prioritized university expansion over the preservation of urban homes and communities.
Introducing ‘Reorientation’, a Podcast from the Center for Campus History
What’s the deal with campus police? How did UW–Madison and hundreds of other universities across the country end up with their own deputized law enforcement agencies? And what does their existence mean for the communities they police, both on and off campus? Those are the questions we’re digging into on the inaugural season of Reorientation, an original narrative podcast from the Center for Campus History!