Mayor Humphrey of Minneapolis: 1945-48 Film Premiering at Minnesota History Center

For Immediate Release

Release dated: October 12, 2023

MNHS media contacts: Allison Ortiz, 651-259-3051, allison.ortiz@mnhs.org or Jack Bernstein, 651-259-3058, jack.bernstein@mnhs.org

Exclusive film screening and author talk on October 28 

ST. PAUL, Minn (October 12, 2023) – In 1945, Hubert H. Humphrey became the youngest mayor elected by the largest majority in Minneapolis history. In just three short years in office, he impacted virtually every phase of city government. As his reputation grew locally, an opportunity to speak at the 1948 Democratic Convention in Philadelphia catapulted his meteoric rise to national prominence. 

What's often forgotten is the significance of those three years in the national fight for civil rights. Seventy-five years later, author Samuel G. Freedman and acclaimed filmmaker Mick Caouette offer new insights on the critical role Humphrey--and his years as Minneapolis mayor--played in the struggle toward 'the bright sunshine of human rights.’

Guests are invited to the Minnesota History Center for a program about Humphrey’s formative years as Minneapolis mayor. The program includes the premiere of Caouette’s new film, Mayor Humphrey of Minneapolis: 1945-48, and a talk by Freedman about his new book Into the Bright Sunshine: Young Hubert Humphrey and the Fight for Civil Rights.

The event will take place on October 28 from 1:00 pm–3:00 pm. Admission is $16 and discounted 20% for Minnesota Historical Society members. Tickets and additional event information can be found here. 

For more information or to set up an interview, please email jack.bernstein@mnhs.org. 

Support for this program has been provided by the Maurice Stans Fund.

About the Minnesota Historical Society

The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. MNHS collects, preserves, and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs, and book publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our state’s stories, and connects people with history.