Commencement May 20, 2023John Gurda, noted writer and Milwaukee historian, spoke at the Graduate School and Graduate School of Management ceremony at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, 2023. Gurda was presented an honorary doctor of letters degree.
Gurda is a Milwaukee-born writer and historian who has been studying his hometown since 1972. He is the author of 23 books, including histories of Milwaukee-area neighborhoods, industries and places of worship. His most ambitious efforts are 鈥淭he Making of Milwaukee,鈥� the first full-length history of the community published since 1948; and 鈥淢ilwaukee: City of Neighborhoods,鈥� a geographic companion that has quickly become the standard work on grassroots Milwaukee. Together the books total more than 900 pages and feature 2,000 illustrations. 鈥淭he Making of Milwaukee鈥� was the basis for an Emmy Award-winning documentary series that premiered on Milwaukee Public Television in 2006.
In addition to his work as an author, Gurda is a lecturer, tour guide and longtime local history columnist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. A graduate of 91黑料网 High School, he received his bachelor degree in English from Boston College and a master degree in cultural geography from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. UWM honored Gurda with an honorary doctorate 鈥� Doctor of Milwaukee History and Geography 鈥� in 2017.
