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You may not be surprised to hear that Minnesota has the largest Norwegian community in the country. But our state also leads the nation in the number of people who identify as Norwegian and black, or Norwegian and indigenous.

Those are some of the findings of a new APM Research Lab data 

 that aims to give Americans a more layered look at our complex cultural heritage — and to help people better understand themselves and their neighbors.

The Lab, a sister company to MPR News, says its study offers the most comprehensive portrait of Americans’ identities.

The project uses Census data, but goes much deeper than the typical handful of race groups used to describe people. 

“I think it gives us a much more complex and rich [sense] of our state,” said Andi Egbert, a senior researcher for APM Research Lab. “And we think about ourselves differently and we give space to the varied histories that each of us contain.”

See the APM Research Lab's entire Roots Beyond Race report

Here are five of Egbert’s main takeaways from her research that relate to Minnesota: 

What do you wish other Minnesotans knew about your cultural identity?

Minnesota have the most people claiming Norwegian heritage, including the nation’s largest Indigenous-Norwegian and black-Norwegian populations. Do you claim mixed heritage? Share your story with us here.

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Andi Egbert

A new APM Research Lab data project aims to give Americans a more layered look at our complex cultural heritage — and to help people better understand themselves and their neighbors.

Roots Beyond Race: Take a deep dive into all Minnesota's heritage groups

More than 500 people from 75 countries were sworn in as U.S. citizens.

Christine T. Nguyen | MPR News

A graphic shows Minnesota heritage groups

Roots Beyond Race: Take a deep dive into all Minnesota's heritage groups

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