Exhibition

Spanning more than 150 years, Sifting & Reckoning: UW–Madison’s History of Exclusion and Resistance is an exhibition from the Center for Campus History that brings to light stories of struggle and perseverance. Through archival objects, photographs, and oral histories, it illuminates under-recognized histories in the university’s past, including the UW’s first students of color; early struggles for equality in social organizations, housing, and athletics; and protest movements on campus.

A physical iteration of the exhibition was on view at the Chazen Museum of Art in fall 2022, garnering positive critical feedback and seeing visits from thousands of people and hundreds of groups. An interactive digital version of the exhibition continues to welcome visitors online.

Sifting & Reckoning was created in close collaboration with the UW Archives. Most of the physical objects featured in the exhibition are housed in the Archives’ collections and can be accessed by contacting them directly.