GERMAN IMMIGRATIONChicago, Illinois

Preservation of Cultural Heritage

“need to create holes that allow in voices of…users”

The time period:Immigration began in 1830’s

Escaping poor agricultural conditionsEscaping religious persecution (mostly

Catholic)Escaping rising taxes, despotic government

The time period:Second generation:

Built churches, theaters, clubsFounded newspapersStarted organizationsParticipated in political activities

The time period:Large wave of immigration: 1880’s

Remained tied to tradition and cultureEstablished small businesses that served their

communityRe-invigorated German ethnicity in Chicago Formed German ethnic core in early 19th

century Chicago

Where did Germans Settle?

Call for Cultural Heritage Resource Collection and ManagementAndrew Flinn

Retain identityEnrich historyBridge generationsControl by the community

Elizabeth CrookeControl renders deeper understanding of

identityCommunity becomes consumer and creator of

the culture; reader and author of the culture

CULTURAL COMPONENTS UNESCO

Main Domains of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Oral traditions and expressions Performing arts Social practices, rituals, festivals Knowledge and practices on

nature and universe Traditional craftmanship

COMPONENT: Music and Song

COMPONENT: Festivals, Picnics

PROPOSALTo build a cultural heritage collection focusing on

German immigrant life in Chicago, Illinois from 1830 to early 1900’s.

To focus, at first, on the collection of two components: music and song; festivals and picnics.

To connect with the German American Cultural Center for assistance in generating interest, gathering information and items and providing some display space.

To design a website for digital display and information

OBJECTIVESMusic and Song:

To collect items and/or information on sheet music, lyrics, songs, music flyers, performance bills, song and music memorabilia

Picnics and FestivalsTo collect photographs of picnics and/or festivalsTo collect descriptions of games and past times at

picnics and festivalsTo collect descriptions of foods eaten and beverages

consumed at picnics/festivals, recipesTo collect any specific festival information

German American Cultural Center

SWOT Analysis: internalSTENGTHS

Large German community

Established community in Cultural Center

Geographic location of Cultural Center

WEAKNESSES

Memories of contributors

Fragile itemsFacilities availabilityBudgetImproperly trained

staff

SWOT Analysis: externalOPPORTUNITIES

Opening up personal collections

Pride in cultureDiscoveryPreservation of

materials

THREATSCompetition from

other institutionsOutside funding

CORE DOMAINS

Appraisal and Selection (collection development)

Arrangement and Description (cataloging)

PreservationReference and Access

(policies and procedures)Outreach and Advocacy

(constituents)Management and

Administration

APPRAISAL and SELECTION (Collection)

Announce via Cultural Center website and on premises the cultural heritage collection development

Call for photos, music and other items

Explain oral history process and ask for participants

Assess historical, intellectual, research value

Tools:PresentationsEmail Cultural Center

websiteDigital CameraRecorderLaptopBlogsSocial Media

ARRANGEMENT and DESCRIPTION (Cataloging)

Catalog by content received

Sheet music Lyrics Performance

programs Photographs Written or oral

descriptions Oral history

Tools:LaptopPast Perfect

software (multi-media upgrade available)

Flickr (photos)Omeka websiteCD’sArchival boxes,

sleeves

PRESERVATIONSheet MusicWritten lyricsLettersPerformance

programsOral history

Tools:Archival sleevesCD’sFlash drives

REFERENCE and ACCESS (Policies and Procedures)

Policies:Legal rights to

display items, photos, transcripts in museum and/or online

Restrictions on materials

Access via:Omeka website (photos)Cultural Center website

Link to Omeka websiteDisplays in small

museum at Cultural Center

Audio online, flash drive or CD’s

HistoryPinStories on PRXSocial Media

OUTREACH and ADVOCACYOutreach:

Educate German heritage community on importance of preserving culture

Reach out to churches, German organizations to encourage participation in telling their stories, histories and sharing photos

Advocacy:Join cultural

heritage associations

Contact Chicago Cultural Society

Contact Chicago Historical Society

Connect with local journalists, reporters, media

MANAGEMENT and ADMINISTRATION

Management:Work with Cultural

Center to ensure security, disaster preparedness, space and storage issues

Store materials in proper container when not on display

Train staff or volunteers

Administration:Secure legal usage

and display of materials

Address restrictionsEnsure materials

are used for cultural heritage community purposes only

Solicit donor and grant funding

BUDGETITEM PRICE

Zoom H1 Recorder®LaptopPrinterDigital cameraArchival suppliesBlank CD’sFlash DrivesAASLH membershipPast Perfect® software

CD tutorial

$80.00$400.00-$500.00$120.00$125.00$100.00$25.00$30.00$115.00 (qualify for

discounts)$700.00$40.00

GRANTS and FUNDING

Proposal for upstart: $5000.00

Institute of Museum and Library Sciences

National Archives and Records Association, National Historical Publications and Records Commission

Illinois Humanities Council

Contributions from German Community

Enrichment, Illumination,Discovery

BIBLIOGRAPHY Bushnell, George D. Wilmette: A History. Wilmette, IL: Village of Wilmette, 1997.

Affleck, Janice and Thomas Kvan. “A Virtual Community as the Context for Discursive Interpretation: A Role in Cultural Heritage Engagement.” International Journal of Heritage Studies 14: 3 (2008): 268-280.

Crooke, Elizabeth. “The politics of community heritage: motivations, authority and control.” International Journal of Heritage Studies 16: 1-2 (2010): 16-29.

Flinn, Andrew. “Community Histories, Community Archives: Some Opportunities and Challenges.” Journal of the Society of Archivists 28: 2 (2007): 151-176.

Keil, Harmut and John B. Jentz, ed. German Workers in Chicago: A Documentary History of Working-Class Culture from 1850 to World War I. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1988.

Krause, Magia Ghetu and Elizabeth Yakel. “Interaction in Virtual Archives: The Polar Bear Expedition Digital Collections Next Generation Finding Aid.” The American Archivist 70 (2007): 282-314.

Smeets, Rieks. “ Language as a Vehicle of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.” Museum International 56: 2 (2004): 156-165.

The German Americans – Chapter 5 (www.maxkade.iupui.edu/adams/chap5.html )

Encyclopedia of Chicago. (www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org )

Goethe Institute (www.goethe.de/lis )

Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org )

Google (www.google.com)

PowerPoint Presentations, Professor Cecilia Salvatore, Dominican University