How historians are documenting ICE enforcement in Minnesota
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The Trump administration’s immigration enforcement surge and its deadly consequences in Minnesota have sparked countless protests and marches and inspired a slew of art and media.
As more federal officers leave the state, the Morning Edition team wondered how historians might document this moment. The Minnesota Historical Society’s Director of Collections, Cecily Marcus, joined Cathy Wurzer with answers.
“One of the things that many of us are thinking about is how we collect in the moment and how we collect later,” Marcus explained.
Journalism on the front lines is part of the historical record, she said. “Beyond that, people are still carrying their signs, and people are still blowing their whistles, and then there's an entire segment of this story — probably the core of this story — that are not on the streets out of caution and lack of safety, and how are we going to collect those stories?”
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Marcus is hopeful that those stories come to MNHS, but doesn’t think they need to come now, while immigration enforcement is still heightened and people are still actively resisting and protesting federal actions. She also noted that missing things is just part of the nature of historical documentation.
“We aren't knocking on doors saying, ‘Do you want to give us your hat?’ We don't want to be intrusive in that way,” Marcus said. “Renee Good’s memorial was doused in gasoline and set on fire. But I don't know that it would have been better if we had gone and collected things from that memorial without really the input and the action of the community.”
An oral history component is under consideration by MNHS, as is how to digitally archive the moment. Anyone interested in donating items to the historical society can learn more here.
Listen to the conversation by clicking the player button above.
