Collecting pieces of Minnesota's past for the future
About
The Minnesota Historical Society preserves and makes available a wide range of materials chronicling Minnesota's history and culture. The goals of the Collections Department are to collect and preserve; provide access and interpretation; and engage in education and outreach. This blog is a tool to share these stories and let people know what is happening in the department.
Ray Gonzalez
National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15, recognizing the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the history and culture of the United States.
Ray Gonzalez is largely known as a poet, but this book of his from 2002 is described as "...a collection of short short fictions that traces the fine line between prose poem and poetic prose. The flash fictions in the book weave history, myth, and cultural conflict from the centuries-old battles between U.S. and Mexican culture."
It is titled "Circling the tortilla dragon: short-short fictions."
Boundary Waters Canoe Area
This photo from 1940 is titled "Leaving Loon Falls portage." Loon Falls is located in the Boundary Water Canoe Area in Cook County, Minnesota.
Fitzgeralds' Birthday
This past Saturday was F. Scott Fitzgerald's birthday. He was born in 1896 in Saint Paul.
In honor of this, please click on the image of "The Saint Paul Daily Dirge" to learn more about it and Fitz!
Map of "Western Part, 1788"
This map is titled "Les états unis de l'Amérique septentrionale: partie occidentale" which translates to "The United States of North America: Western part."
It was created by Rijobert Bonne in 1788, and shows the interior of the country as contiguous parts of the state directly from the eastern seaboard.
Quinceañera
National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15, recognizing the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the history and culture of the United States.
This is a hand-cut and decorated Styrofoam quinceañera decoration. A Quinceañera is celebration of a girl's 15th birthday, widely celebrated by girls throughout Hispanic America.
The decoration was cut with a hot knife to include the silhouette of a crescent moon, a young woman in profile, and other floral and leaf-shaped motifs. The decoration was sold by the artist at Our Lady Of Guadalupe Church in the West Side neighborhood of Saint Paul, circa 1999.
Guitar Pick
This plastic "Suicide Commandos" guitar pick was used by Chris Osgood between 1974 - 1979.
Osgood co-founded the band The Suicide Commandos in Minneapolis with himself as guitarist, Steve Almaas as bassist, and Dave Ahl as drummer. The band produced two albums in its short history (1975-1980), but helped establish a punk and alternative rock music scene in Minneapolis influencing other bands, such as the Suburbs, the Replacements, Hüsker Dü, and Soul Asylum.
Learn more about him here: http://www2.mnhs.org/library/findaids/01438.xml
National Voter Registration Day!
Today, September 20, is National Voter Registration Day!
Be sure to register to keep up Minnesota's reputation for amazing voter turn out!
In honor of the day we are sharing this short video about voter instructions in many language then and now.
Click the image to play!
Men's Jacket
This men's blue suit jacket was worn by John Nasseff of Saint Paul. It features an abstract pattern, similar to a paisley pattern, and dark blue velvet trim.
It was used between 1980 and 2018.
Justice Warren Burger
Tomorrow, September 17, is Justice Warren Burger’s birthday.
In 1969 Burger took the oath as the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Appointed by President Richard Nixon, Burger replaced retiring Chief Justice Earl Warren to become the fifteenth person to hold that post.
Warren Earl Burger was born in St. Paul on September 17, 1907.
Learn more about him here: https://libguides.mnhs.org/burger
Sandra Benitez Book
National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15, recognizing the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the history and culture of the United States.
Today we are highlighting novelist Sandra Benitez, who won the American Book Award in 1998 for her book "Bitter Grounds."
Learn more about her here:
https://bit.ly/3S97b7J