Latino roots in Milwaukee, retired teacher dives into history
Latino roots in Milwaukee, retired teacher dives into history
Margartia Sandoval-Skare, a 77-year-old retired teacher, is diving into Milwaukee's Latino roots and turning family history into a lesson for all.
MILWAUKEE - Margartia Sandoval-Skare, a 77-year-old retired teacher, is diving into Milwaukee's Latino roots and turning family history into a lesson for all.
‘Los primeros’
What they're saying:
Sandoval-Skare is a retired Milwaukee Public Schools teacher and librarian. She dedicated her retirement to tracing the city's Mexican ties, dating back to the late 1800s. She has a large photograph collection, including "at least 400" photos of los primeros.
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"Los primeros" means people among the first Mexican families to settle in Milwaukee, names recognized on a list saved through decades of history.
Margartia Sandoval-Skare
"Because my father was one of los primeros, you have to do the research," Sandoval-Skare said. "And for Milwaukee, one of our earliest, earliest los primeros is Rafael Baez, a child prodigy born in Mexico.
"In 1885 then, he arrived in Milwaukee, and he met a lovely woman, a German, wealthy young lady, Mary Sean, and they were married."
Mexicans arrive in Milwaukee
The backstory:
As Milwaukee's industry grew, so did the arrival of Mexican workers. Sandoval-Skare said Pfister and Vogel Tannery went to Mexico to recruit young men and bring them back to Milwaukee.
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With those workers came families, community, and faith. Our Lady of Gudualupe, a century-old mission, established a Catholic church offering Mass in Spanish in Milwaukee. It marks its 100th anniversary this year.
"The mothers were very concerned and prayed for their sons," Sandoval-Skare said. "So they prayed the Rosary time and time again, lit the candles, and the story is that all of these young men came back to Milwaukee. They lived."
Sharing history with community
Local perspective:
These moments in time were captured for a special display at Mexican Fiesta this year. Through pictures, documents, and a list of names, Sandoval-Skare is passing along Latino history to generations ahead.
"The community grows, and we know that education is most important," Sandoval-Skare said. "For me, it's an explosion of our beautiful culture in a wonderful way to share with our Milwaukee community and the whole state of Wisconsin."
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Abril Preciado and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from Margarita Sandoval-Skare, historical documents, photographs and FOX6 News reporting.