History

Kamala Harris, women in leadership and the ‘glass cliff’
Monday at 9 a.m., MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about women in leadership and the Black women leaders who paved the way for Kamala Harris’ candidacy.
‘Let’s turn the page and let’s make it normal’: Marney Gellner on her milestone play-by-play for the Twins
Marney Gellner called the three-series game against the White Sox, making her the first woman to serve as the Twins’ play-by-play announcer in a regular season game.
Going old school on travels across Minnesota
In communities across Minnesota, old schools may be boarded up or falling apart. They may be completely renovated into apartments or a home or some other use. But no matter their present state, they have stories to tell.
Bob Dylan is giving fans a chance to relive his 1974 tour on a 27-disc set
Bob Dylan fans who want to relive his memorable 1974 concert tour with The Band will soon have the opportunity to own most of it. The box will contain previously unreleased recordings of 417 songs, including some 21 versions of “Lay Lady Lay.”
Minnesota Now and Then: Minnesota's role in the Underground Railroad
Newly uncovered history by a Minnesota historian suggests that the state had a larger role in the Underground Railroad than previously known.
The shadow fighters of the Civil War
Historian Patrick O’Donnell spotted an intriguing roadside marker and then spent six years researching a part of the Civil War long forgotten. His new book, “The Unvanquished,” tells the story shape-shifting spies, fearless guerilla fighters and military leaders straight out of a movie.
The explosive history of fireworks, from ancient China to Revolutionary America
Pyrotechnic amusements from sparklers to Roman candles have long been a staple of celebrations in the U.S. and beyond, helping to mark national holidays, sporting events and more.
25 years after Boundary Waters blowdown, a changed forest and vivid memories
July 4 is the 25th anniversary of the Boundary Waters blowdown, when winds up to 100 miles per hour tore through the canoe wilderness. A quarter century later, the forest is changed and memories of the event remain fresh.