Learning from a major bipartisan effort orchestrated in 1971 by Minnesota governor Wendell Anderson and joined by Rep. Martin Sabo and Sen. Stanley Holmquist.Anderson died in July 2016 at the age of 83. TOM BERG On November 8, 2016, a political wave arose from a sea of resentment and urge for change and swept across the … More Wendell Anderson and the Minnesota Miracle: A look back.
BY BRIAN MCMAHONExcerpt from The Ford Century in Minnesota Ascent of the AutoworkersThe Postwar Boom and ChallengesWhen [World War II] ended, there were about twenty-five million cars on the road, and most were more than ten years old. People wanted new cars and Ford was eager to meet the pent-up demand. Several hundred workers, including … More The Ford Century in Minnesota: The Postwar Boom and Challenges
BY JIM WALSHExcerpt from the Introduction to Bar Yarns and Manic-Depressive Mixtapes My earliest memory of scribbling in a notebook while listening to music is New Year’s Eve, 1974. I was fourteen and then as now not a big fan of mean girls and boys, so that night I intentionally stayed away from the junior … More Going Underground: Jim Walsh on his earliest memory of music writing.
BY BEATRICE OJAKANGASExcerpted from Homemade The Christmas season for us was marked by the beginning of Christmas tree season in October. Isä [Ojakangas’s father] had discovered that he could make a bunch of money by cutting and selling Christmas trees. He would pile the cut trees onto the platform of his truck and deliver the … More Christmas Trees + Beatrice Ojakangas’s Pulla People holiday recipe.
BY MARK NEUZILProfessor of communication and journalism, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN “Everyone believes in something. I believe I will go canoeing” is a comment attributed to Henry David Thoreau, who could make a claim as America’s most famous canoeist. Regardless of whether he wrote it or not, I have understood what the … More "I have spent a life in canoes."
Looking ahead to this weekend’s Nobel prize ceremony, in which Bob Dylan, the 2016 laureate in literature, will likely not attend but will provide a speech.BY COLLEEN SHEEHYPresident and executive director, Public Art St. Paul When I looked at my phone in the early morning of Thursday, October 13, I was stunned to discover that … More A quiet life, a remarkable influence: On Bob Dylan’s English teacher, B.J. Rolfzen
Sky Blue Water: Great Stories for Young Readers is a one-of-a-kind collection of short stories that celebrate Minnesota’s vibrant storytelling tradition. A rich and often under-appreciated part of this tradition is youth storytelling. This collection celebrates young adult and intermediate fiction from some of Minnesota’s most beloved authors, emerging talents, and many more. In this … More Sky Blue Water writers’ favorite places to read, write (or not write), and get inspired. (Part 1 of 2)
Sky Blue Water: Great Stories for Young Readers is a one-of-a-kind collection of short stories that celebrate Minnesota’s vibrant storytelling tradition. A rich and often under-appreciated part of this tradition is youth storytelling. This collection celebrates young adult and intermediate fiction from some of Minnesota’s most beloved authors, emerging talents, and many more. In this … More Sky Blue Water writers’ seasonal traditions and Minnesota food experiences. (Part 2 of 2)
Today’s post is published in connection with University Press Week, which is organized by the Association of American for University Presses (AAUP). University Press Week was first declared in 1978 by U.S. President Jimmy Carter. More background on #UPWeek can be found here. Likewise, in connection with Give to the Max Day (an initiative to … More #UPWeek | #ReadUP | University Press Week: Meet our first director and get a preview of this weekend’s Avant Museology, a collaborative two-day symposium.
BY DAMIEN SOJOYNERAssistant professor of anthropology, University of California, Irvine At the July 2014 Compton Unified School District (CUSD) board meeting, an ordinance was passed that paved the way for CUSD police officers to carry AR-15 semi-automatic rifles on school campuses. For those unfamiliar with the AR-15, it is a military-grade assault weapon that produces … More Enclosure-based rhetoric and fundamentals behind the school-to-prison pipeline
