Field Note

Members of the West Central Minnesota Historical Association met in Granite Falls this spring. The historical organizations met to hear updates on one another’s work and had good
conversations about board officers for WCMHA. Organizations at the meeting included the
Wheels Across the Prairie Museum (Tracy), Sacred Heart Area Historical Society, Balaton
Historical Society, Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum (Walnut Grove), Kandiyohi County Historical
Society, Lyon County Historical Society, Lac qui Parle County Historical Society, and Renville County Historical Society.

Heritage Preservation Grants

Spotlighted Project: Phase II: Development of Content for Duluth African-American History Project
Phase II of the Duluth African-American History Project created visual panels representing local individuals' experiences and connections to industry, work, social networks, and civil rights activism. Utilizing the completed Duluth African-American Oral History Project and archival materials, the project enhanced understanding of Duluth's African-American history by combining oral history excerpts with portraits, research, and photographs from personal and public archives. This initiative covered a wider scope of Duluth's African American history by incorporating earlier historical resources and oral history archives.
Recipient: Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial Inc.
Funded Amount: $3,300
Project Details

Small Grant Deadline
The next small grant deadline (requests of $10,000 or less) for the MHCHG program is Friday, July 12, 2024.

No July Grants Open House
July 2024 - Due to the 4th of July Holiday there will be no Open House for July. Learn more »

Grants Office Webinar: Exhibits and the Grant Program
June 20 @ 2 to 3 pm (CT) - Online: Exhibits are a tried and true way to share and interpret history. The grant program can fund exhibits from the planning stages to the fabrication and installation. Join us for this webinar to learn more about what successful exhibit project applications include and advice on ways to break a project down into phases. Presented by State History Services Manager Todd Mahon.
Join online: meet.google.com/zwx-krei-com
Join by phone: ‪(US) +1 386-361-3086‬  PIN: ‪420 891 978‬#

Grants Office YouTube Playlist »

From the Blog

This week's blog post is from the U of MN Libraries. Have a blog? Let us know!

YMCA history fellows are ‘creating a usable past’ for boys and young men of color
Michael DeVaul knows what young Black boys are facing. He grew up in Evanston, Illinois, back when there were two local YMCAs: one for white people, and one for everyone else.
DeVaul spent much of his formative years, from 8 to 18 years old, in his hometown Y, through closure of the “Black Y” and integration with the Grove Street Branch Y. After college, he agreed to work there for two years. Forty-two years later, he’s still at the Y.
“I came to work for community, and the Y was a tool for me to do that,” DeVaul said. “I was able to find myself in the work and not lose myself.”
DeVaul is the national director of the Y’s Boys and Young Men of Color (BYMOC) program. He’s been with the program since its inception around six years ago; it’s his way of giving back to the community what it gave him in his adolescence. Continue Reading »

More MN Blog posts

• Saving the Oakland: designed by Harry Wild Jones - Hennepin History Museum
• Grover Cleveland Jaehning, Morton Pharmacist 1908-1958 - Renville County Historical Society
• History of St. Ann's Parish 1902 - 1968 - Brandon History Center
• Water Towering - Robbinsdale Historical Society

From the Tube

This week's post is from the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society. Have a video channel or podcast? Let us know!

More MN Tube posts

• Lester F. "Les" Schrenk, US 8th Air Force Ball Turret Gunner and POW - Eighth Air Force Historical Society of Minnesota
• Camp Conversations - Phyllis Wheatley Community Center
• Walter Goodwin Jr., Growing up as both African and Indigenous American - African American Registry
• To Whom it May Concern: Letters in the archives part 2 - U of MN Libraries

Heritage Preservation YouTube Playlist »

Job Opportunities

Minnesota Historical Society's Job Announcement, Internship, Fellowship, and Volunteer Opportunity pages.

MNHS

• Project Manager II - III - MN History Center
• Facilities Manager - MN History Center

• Request For Proposals - Trail Development, Coordination of Construction, and Recommendations of Materials for A Self-Guided Walking Trail & Interpretive Tour at the Grand Meadow Chert Quarry Preserve/Wanhi Yukan Trail - Mower County Historical Society, Austin, MN
• Installation Carpenter - Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
• Statewide Communications Associate - Bell Museum, St. Paul, MN

REGIONAL

• Executive Director - Iowa Museum Association, Statewide
• Retail Manager - John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI
• Paintings Conservator – Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI
• Security Supervisor - Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI
• Visitor Services Associate - Oshkosh Public Museum, Oshkosh, WI 

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

• Project Manager Indigenous Initiatives Partnerships - Terra Foundation for American Art, Chicago, IL
• Public Art Project Manager - Obama Presidential Center, The Obama Foundation, Chicago, IL
• Executive Director - Putnam County Museum, Inc., Greencastle, IN
• Digital Content Creator - Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indianapolis, IN
• Director of Archives and Special Collections - Ball State University Libraries, Muncie, IN
• Vice President of Curatorial Affairs and Collections - Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, Indianapolis, IN
• Executive Assistant - Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo, MI
• Senior Oral History Content Producer - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Los Angeles, CA
• Payroll Administrator - Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Winnipeg, MB 
• Senior Manager of Registration - Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON

Additional Job Postings in the Field »

Do History Here

Juneteenth Celebration at Emancipation Park, 1880. From the Houston Public Library Digital Archives, Houston, Texas.

Submit your history organization's news and events to localhistorynews@mnhs.org.

4th Annual Juneteenth Observance
June 19 @ 12 to 5 pm - St. Paul: Rondo Center of Diverse Expressions - The event celebrates the emancipation of African Americans and honors the Walker West Music Academy. Featuring performances, remarks from leaders, and a Spirit of Rondo Achievement Award presentation. Food vendors and exhibitors will be located on Fisk Street. Location: Rondo Commemorative Plaza. Learn more »

Soul of the Southside Juneteenth Festival
June 19 @ 12 to 8 pm - Minneapolis: Soul of the Southside - Celebrate Juneteenth at Lake Street and Minnehaha Avenue in south Minneapolis. Enjoy live music, art galleries, wellness activities, family fun, storytelling, drum circles, food trucks, history exhibits, interactive installations, podcasts, DJ and dance performances, and more. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Way Grand: Square Dancing, Traditional to Modern
June 20 @ 12 pm - Bemidji: Beltrami County History Center - Carole Laitala and Roger Lueth of the First City Squares, an organization founded in 2002, will bring the history and joy of square dancing to life. Laitala, a seasoned square dancer, and Lueth, an experienced caller, will demonstrate the evolution of square dancing from its traditional roots to its modern forms. They will discuss the history of square-dancing clubs in the area, special events across the state and country, and the social, health, and fun aspects of square dancing. Adding to the excitement, members of the First City Squares will perform a "teach dance" for audience members interested in learning the basics of square dancing. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Owatonna State School - Roundtable Discussion
June 20 @ 6 to 7:30 pm - Steele County Historical Society - Join us at the Owatonna Arts Center for a roundtable discussion on the Owatonna State School. In the mid-1940s, changes in social philosophy led to the discontinuation of the residential institutionalization of orphan children and the move to foster care. The Minnesota State Public School campus was repurposed as a school for the “educable mentally disabled.” For 25 years, the Owatonna State School helped educate children with learning disabilities. Former students, employees, and members of the public are encouraged to come and share their memories. Light refreshments will be served. Location: Owatonna Arts Center. Cost: Free members/$5 nonmembers. Learn more »

Event: Midsommardagen
June 22 @ 10 am to 4 pm - Scandia:  Gammelgården Museum of Scandia - Midsommardagen marks the longest day of the year and welcomes back warm weather. To celebrate, enjoy traditional Swedish music, group folk dancing, hands-on activities, arts, crafts, and vendor fair, demonstrations by artists, and, in the center of it all, the Majstång/Midsommarstång (May/Midsummer Pole), freshly decorated with spring greenery. Learn more »

Minnesota Independent Scholars' Forum Presents: Can understanding of urban ecosystems improve our odds?
June 22 @ 10:30 am to 12 pm - Shoreview: Ramsey County Library Shoreview - With over half the global population now residing in cities, early industrial urban areas faced challenges like smog, pollution, and epidemics, leading to shorter lifespans compared to rural areas. This discussion explores past progress and future ideas for enhancing urban livability. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Presentation: The Ichabod Strange Series
June 22 @ 1 pm - Mankato: Blue Earth County Historical Society - Minnesota State University, Mankato author James Mackey talks about his book series Ichabod Strange. Ichabod Strange is a custodian who inherited his long-lost great-uncle’s creepy old house. Each book is a series of short stories detailing some of his day-to-day adventures. Author James Mackey is a graphic artist for Minnesota State University, Mankato. Cost: Free members/$10 nonmembers. Learn more »

Beltrami County Historical Society Annual Meeting - Special Program Featuring Folk Musician Brian Miller
June 22 @ 12 pm - Bemidji: Beltrami County History Center - The event will start with a catered breakfast buffet, followed by a brief annual meeting to review achievements, discuss initiatives, elect board members, and honor volunteers. Admission is free for those attending only the meeting. Folk musician Brian Miller will then present "Folk Songs of Early Beltrami County," showcasing the region's musical heritage. Attendees will gain a deeper appreciation of the cultural history. Cost: $25 members/$35 nonmembers. Learn more »

Jazz Jam on the Patio
June 23 @ 6 to 2 to 4 pm - Owatonna: Steele County Historical Society - Welcome back the the H30 Trio to the History Center Patio. While the band performs some cool jazz music, sit and enjoy the afternoon breeze on the patio. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Event: History on the River Cruise Steamboats on a Smaller Scale with Frederick Beseler
June 27 @ 4 to 5:30 pm and 6 to 7:30 pm - Winona: Winona County Historical Society - Frederick Beseler will explore the history of steamboats, big and small. Through steamboat models that were built in the 1940s and ‘50s by Jacob Mathias of Wabasha, Minnesota, we will learn about the history of each of the real steamboats that were frequently seen along the Mississippi and at Winona’s levee 100 years and more ago. Cost: $35 members/$45 nonmembers. Learn more »

Great Decisions: Mideast Realignment
June 28 @ 10 to 11:30 am - Online: Ramsey County Library - Should the US maintain its reduced presence in the region or recommit to a leading role in the Middle East and globally? Part of the Great Decisions series on critical American issues. Study and join discussions with expert speakers. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Event: Mural Dedication
June 28 @ 4:30 to 6:30 pm (Short ceremony at 5:30 pm) - Worthington: Nobles County Historical Society - Dedication of a photo mural of the Nobles County Courthouse that hangs in the balcony of the new Nobles County Heritage Center. The image was captured on a freezing cold February night in 1935 by professional photographer Harry Rickers and his wife, Alice. Learn more »

Exhibit: Circle of Water - Puppetry as an Agent of Change - Opening Reception
June 29 @ 3 to 5 pm - Minneapolis: Hennepin History Museum - This exhibit commemorates the 1983 production of the Circle of Water Circus by In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre. The exhibit showcases a wide array of puppets, footage, and music of the original show, and presents the experiences and perspectives of the performers. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Sketches of Minnesota: Connecting through Comedy and Community
Minnesota Humanities Center and Danger Boat Productions - A traveling series of community-inspired improv shows. This initiative uses laughter and comedy to celebrate Minnesota communities, promote dialogue, bridge divides, and help find ways to work constructively across differences, particularly in today’s political environment. While the shows will be comedic, Sketches of Minnesota will never punch down. The aim is to foster understanding within and across communities, celebrate the state’s diversity, and showcase what residents cherish most about their corner of Minnesota. Learn more »

• Duluth – July 9
• Glencoe – July 16
• Waite Park – July 25
• Emily – July 26
• Morris – August 8
• Little Falls – August 13

Explore Minnesota - State of MN's Tourism website
Listings: History & Heritage Events | Historic Exhibits | Lectures & Workshops
Submit an event »

Continuing Education

Highlighted Museum: Paynesville Area Museum, operated by the Paynesville Historical Society, Paynesville, MN.

Civic Season
Now in its fourth year, Civic Season takes place between Juneteenth and July 4 and engages younger generations in history and civics. Learn how your organization can participate.

What is STEPS and Can It Help My Site?
June 27 @ 2 pm - Online: American Association for State and Local History - Learn about the Standards and Excellence Program for History Organizations, a self-assessment program for small- and mid-sized organizations. Learn more »

Light For Life® Virtual Symposium: Museum Lighting
June 27 @ 10 am – Online: Illuminating Engineering Society - This one-day virtual symposium will focus on the intricacies of illumination in museums and galleries. Cost: $39. Learn more »

Succession Planning for Cultural Institutions, Part One: Research Findings
July 10 @ 11 am - Online: Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts - Join cultural sector professionals for a presentation on resources developed as part of a Cultural Stewardship Succession Planning Initiative. During the session, they will share examples of tools that have been developed to support succession planning for collections care and management roles, including knowledge transfer guides, sample policies and communications templates, checklists for successful staff transitions, and a framework for internal advocacy for succession planning. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Preventing and Responding to Mold in Book and Paper Collections
July 11 @ 11:30 to 1:30 pm - Online: Northeast Document Conservation Center - Mold can seriously threaten cultural heritage materials. In this 1-hour webinar, participants will learn how to assess and identify mold, clean moldy materials safely, and prevent future mold outbreaks through proactive preservation measures. Cost: $45. Learn more »

Dashboards: Making Your Data Work for You
July 17 @ 12 to 1 pm (CT) - Online: Propel Nonprofits - In this webinar, find out the purpose and use of dashboard reports, learn the components of useful dashboard reports, and share some examples. Cost: Free. Register »

What’s Your Damage
July 22 @ 5 pm (CT) - Online: Backlog, Archivists & Historians - All memory workers encounter collections materials that are physically damaged or beset by mold or pests. Knowing how to identify problems and having a plan to respond quickly to them makes for better stewardship so that collections are usable into the future. This webinar will cover the identification of common problems that threaten collections, give some guidance on when to get professional conservators involved, and explain methods to better protect collections by preventing risks. Cost: Free. Register »

TIPS & TOOLS

• The National Museum of African American History and Culture shares history and resources for Juneteenth - Smithsonian
• Rural Queer History: Hidden in Plain Sight -  Daily Yonder

Additional Educational Opportunities »

Funding & Awards

Dialogues on the Experience of War
September 17 - (Deadline): National Endowment for the Humanities - This program supports the development of humanities-focused discussion programs that enlarge the understanding of the meaning and experiences of military service and war. Learn more »

Climate Smart Humanities Organizations
September 18 - (Deadline): National Endowment for the Humanities - Through the Climate Smart program, your humanities organization can undertake activities such as energy audits, risk assessments, and meetings with consultants. Individual organizations can apply for themselves or lead a consortium of organizations collaborating on strategic climate-smart planning. Learn more »

Additional Funding Opportunities »

News

The UMN Hmong Corpus Project: Building a Free Searchable Web-based Annotated Corpus of the Hmong Language
The UMN Hmong Corpus Project aims to create a searchable, annotated Hmong language database to support linguistic research, education, and AI technology development. The project will partner with the Hmong Cultural Center to enhance resources for Hmong language learning and analysis. Learn more »

Musket owned by Shaynowishkung on display at Beltrami County History Center
Bemidji Pioneer — A musket that once belonged to Shaynowishkung, called Chief Bemidji by early white settlers to the area, has been donated to the Beltrami County Historical Society and is now on display at the History Center. The gun is of special historic significance, as it represents the relationship between Shaynowishkung’s family and the Carson family. Continue reading »

Judy Garland Museum receives grant aimed at bringing ruby slippers back to Grand Rapids
Northern News Now — The Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids just received a $100,000 grant from the State of Minnesota to bring the slippers back to the museum. They were stolen from the museum in 2005, recovered by the FBI in 2018, and then returned to the owner and collector Michael Shaw. Continue reading »

22 Third Graders, 12 Miles: Anishinabe Academy Students Bike to the Bakken Museum
Streets.MN — If you were biking on the Midtown Greenway last month, you may have noticed a large, happy group of kids pedaling along. Those students were 22 third-graders from Anishinabe Academy in Minneapolis, headed on a very special, 12-mile round trip biking field trip to the Bakken Museum. Continue reading »

Capri Theatre hosts ‘Tales from the Northside’ fundraiser for Minneapolis Sound Museum
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder — The Capri Theatre in North Minneapolis buzzed with anticipation as the carpet rolled out for the 2nd annual “Tales from the Northside” event. Continue reading »

In Focus: Smuda Family's Legacy Being Preserved at Weyerhaeuser Museum
Lakeland News — The Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Memorial Museum in Little Falls will be dedicating a plaque in honor of the Smuda family. Reporter Sammy Holladay stopped by the museum to learn more about the contributions the Smuda family made to the museum. Watch video »

Featured Book It Took Courage, Eliza Winston's Quest For Freedom by Christopher P. Lehman. Minnesota Historical Society Press. Author Talk Date: July 10 @ 9 am Location: Stearns History Museum	Featured Article Minnesota History Minnesota's Long Road to Black Suffrage 1849-1868 Volume 56, Issue 2, 1998	Featured Article MNopedia Dred and Harriet Scott in Minnesota Featured MNopedia Article
Minnesota History Organizations Directory  • County, Chapters, and Local • Statewide/Topical Historical • Regional History Coalitions • Professional Organizations	Minnesota Main Streets Reinvigorate your community's commercial district.	Preservation Specialists Directory Look up products or services.

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