Minnesota History Magazine Winter 2022-23 (68:4)

Articles

A Gift to All Deaf Minnesotans: A History of St. Paul’s Charles Thompson Memorial Hall
Corinna S. Hill and Bruce Johansen

Charles Thompson Memorial Hall in St. Paul opened in 1916 as a club for Deaf people to socialize and gather in an environment specifically designed for Deaf culture, community, and language. The only Deaf club listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Thompson Hall has been a vital resource and gathering space for Deaf Minnesotans for more than a century while navigating challenges to its relevance and financial viability. Historians Corinna S. Hall and Bruce Johansen trace the origins, history, and current state of this important Minnesota institution.

The White Red Men: The Improved Order of Red Men in Minnesota, 1875–1920
Edward J. Pluth

The Improved Order of Red Men (IORM) was a national secret fraternal society that patterned its terminology, rituals, clothing, and other customs after those of early Native Americans. The first effort to organize a Minnesota branch emerged in 1875 but failed shortly thereafter. In the ensuing four decades, more than 100 IORM “tribes” were established in Minnesota, with a peak of 53 in 1901. This article explores the establishment and structure of the IORM in Minnesota and examines the problematic and racist symbolism employed by the society.

MNHS Press Book Excerpt
“A Child of the Indian Race”: A Story of Return
Sandy White Hawk

Adopted away from her family on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota when she was a toddler, Sandy White Hawk experienced decades of trauma as a “child of the Indian race” (as her adoption papers identified her) removed from her community and shamed for being “Indian” in a white-dominated culture. White Hawk eventually overcame the trauma and reconnected with her birth relatives. She went on to dedicate her life to help other Native adoptees reconnect with Native communities and navigate the lingering harms of their removal. In the book “A Child of the Indian Race,” White Hawk shares her own life story and describes her work with the First Nations Repatriation Institute.

Departments

EyeWitness
Excelsior Amusement Park
John Rosengren

LandMarks
Frederick and Maryanna Manfred House, Luverne
Ginny Way

News & Notes, Our Back Pages

Preserving > Sharing > Connecting
Community, Collaboration, and Philanthropy: Dr. Sita Kantha Dash