CONTACTS: Julie Raye
(608) 264-6540
Lori Richards
(414) 813-0066
Tom Brokaw, Society leadership discuss importance of preserving history and first major fundraising campaign
Madison, Wis. – The Wisconsin Historical Society celebrates the dawn of a new era in its history with its first major capital campaign, titled Forward! The launch of the $77 million campaign took place at a once-in-a-lifetime event, featuring keynote speaker, Tom Brokaw on Friday, October 1.
The Wisconsin Historical Society understands the need to transform how we share our history and make it applicable and useful for generations to come. The Wisconsin Historical Society’s Forward! Campaign is dedicated to building a future in which all people actively use history to understand their own story and the world around them.
“Today, we stand at a critical juncture in a time of rapid change, driven by new technologies, social trends and heightened expectations,” said Ellsworth Brown, The Ruth and Hartley Barker Director of the Society. “To respond to these dramatic shifts, the Wisconsin Historical Society has charted a bold new vision for the 21st century – one that will transform how we discover and appreciate our history and bring greater meaning to all of our lives.”
The Forward! Campaign will include four initiatives: transforming Wisconsin’s historic sites, embracing new technology to engage audiences, safeguarding world-class collections, and securing the Society’s future by inspiring the broadest community possible to champion history. Each initiative is rooted in the idea of ensuring our history is preserved, embraced and appreciated for generations to come.
Private fundraising for the Forward! Campaign has successfully been underway for several years. By introducing the Forward! Campaign to the public the Wisconsin Historical Society is seeking to supplement the $68 million already raised with $9 million in new funding that will allow the Society to lay the groundwork for these initiatives, as well as provide an ongoing commitment to ensure the future of these efforts. For more information on the Forward! Campaign, the public is urged to visit http://www.forwardcampaign.org.
About the Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society was founded in 1846 and ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services.
