Native News

The Native News Project is a new initiative from MPR News.

Stay informed with the latest news about local and national Native American communities, highlighting stories and issues important to Native American communities in Minnesota and beyond.

Our coverage includes cultural events, policy updates, community stories and more to provide a platform for Native voices, perspectives and important news.

White Earth Casino plan near Moorhead faces local opposition
The White Earth Nation wants to build a large casino-convention complex near Moorhead. Local officials are concerned about financial and environmental implications of the proposed project.
Indigenous Players vie for the 2025 Stanley Cup
The challenge for hockey’s biggest prize, the Stanley Cup, is under way and once again Indigenous players are in the mix.
Pope Francis remembered for residential schools apology
The Pope, who died Monday, said in a July 2022 visit to Canada that he was ‘deeply sorry’ for the Catholic Church’s role in the residential schools.
New data provides first look at tribally owned businesses
The data from the Minneapolis Federal Reserve’s Center for Indian Country Development hopes to enable further research about businesses owned by tribal governments, which has been historically understudied.
Red Lake Nation citizen cited for ‘fake’ license plates in Georgia
A Red Lake tribal member says he was “relieved” to return to his North Branch home following a traffic stop in Georgia that resulted in his tribal license plates being removed.
Forensic DNA breaks new ground for MMIP cold cases
But the new technology carries potential privacy risks for intimate information.
Partnerships may pave the way to a more environmentally focused future in the mining industry
Tribal nations in Minnesota have long raised concerns about pollution from taconite mines on the state’s Iron Range. The mining industry has been trying to find ways to produce iron using renewable energy. The University of Minnesota is conducting a study of what it calls ‘next generation steel’ to understand the economic and environmental benefits.
‘A big Minnesota moment in New York’: The Met announces exhibition of late artist George Morrison
The Metropolitan Museum of Art will open “The Magical City: George Morrison’s New York” on July 17, a significant solo exhibition of the Grand Portage Anishinaabe artist’s work and a rare presentation at a major institution outside Minnesota.
Explainer: How the U of M system endowment, mining industry benefit from seized Indigenous land
The state holds land in trust for the University of Minnesota, generating revenue for the Permanent University Fund. The U.S. government gave the land to the state in the mid-1800s after taking it from tribal nations through treaties often signed under the threat of violence.