Absent Narratives and Necessary Conversations

FAIN: BC-50462-09

Minnesota Humanities Center (St. Paul, MN 55106-2046)
Matthew Brandt (Project Director: March 2009 to June 2011)
Matthew Brandt (Project Director: July 2009 to June 2011)

The development of programs that explore Minnesota's ethnic heritages and what it means to be an American, including community conversations, a web site, podcasts, a public conference and a grant program.

In times of crisis, we must consider what is most fundamental about our culture and work to preserve that which we hold dear. One risk of the economic crisis of 2009 is that Minnesotans and Americans will lose sight of the ideas and experiences that bind them. Such a time is upon us -- a time to examine and expand the meaning of what it is to be an American and a Minnesotan. The Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC) requests funding to support community conversations and additional programming that will highlight its rich ethnic heritage, namely the accomplishments and contributions of the states original residents, the Dakota, Ojibwe, and Ho-Chunk; the state's African American peoples, and the state's newest residents of Hmong, Somali, and Latino peoples. Programs to accomplish this include a web site, public events and podcasts, a public conference, and a re-grant program.