Minnesota History Magazine Summer 2026 (70.2)

Articles One Bicentennial, Many Voices: Minnesota's Grassroots Approach to the Nation's 1976 Anniversary Thomas Saylor Minnesota’s 1976 Bicentennial was a collection of diverse, grassroots celebrations across the state. However, the anniversary also exposed divergent views. Black and Indigenous Minnesotans debated celebrating independence given unresolved issues of equality, often using the occasion to tell their own stories. Build for Belonging: Camp Parsons Provides Enrichment and Respite for Generations of Urban Youth Shannon Smith In 1958, the Phyllis Wheatley Settlement House established Camp Katharine Parsons, Minnesota’s first Black-owned summer camp. For more than 40 years, the camp provided enrichment and social-emotional skill building to generations of North Minneapolis urban youth who were otherwise excluded from segregated camps. The Phyllis Wheatley Community Center is now working to restore and reopen the historic site. The Fishing Life Revisited In retirement, Michael Risku returned to his 50-year-old thesis on Minnesota’s North Shore commercial fishing industry. His recent book, Following the Fish, chronicles the industry’s vibrant history and eventual collapse. Now with enhanced sources available, Risku reaches a new conclusion, arguing that massive-scale pollution, not just overfishing, damaged fish spawning grounds and prevents the lake’s full recovery. Departments Editor’s Note Amy L. Boxrud Curator’s Choice Kate Hujda Curator's Choice: Framing the Moment: The Photography of Jerome Hill EyeWitness John Rosengren Roller Derby Hits Minneapolis LandMark Kosmo Esplan Northfield's Scriver Building, Rice County Book Review Hayden L. Nelson To Banish Forever: A Secret Society, the Ho-Chunk, and Ethnic Cleansing in Minnesota Take Three/News & Notes/Letters Highlighting MNopedia Nathan R. Stenberg "Welsch V. Likins" Preserving > Sharing > Connecting Bridget Larson-Lindner: Championing Northwestern Minnesota's History