- Podcast |
- Scene on Radio
- Media Type |
- audio
- Publication Date |
- Apr 12, 2017
- Episode Duration |
- 01:02:57
Growing up in Mankato, Minnesota, John Biewen heard next to nothing about the town’s most important historical event. In 1862, Mankato was the site of the largest mass execution in U.S. history – the hanging of 38 Dakota warriors – following one of the major wars between Plains Indians and settlers. In this documentary, originally produced for This American Life, John goes back to Minnesota to explore what happened, and why Minnesotans didn’t talk about it afterwards.
Image: The Minnesota State Seal, 1858
Key sources for this episode:
Gwen Westerman, Mni Sota MakoceMary Wingerd, North Country: The Making of Minnesota
This episode is a tough one to listen to, but again, it is an important part of the history of our country, and if you aren't going to repeat the past...you have to look at it and learn from it and change. But I don't think we have. At all. The cunning trickery, the lies, the sabotage that took place to steal land from native people is disturbing at best. But what follows, what they outline here that followed, is horrific, and still happening on a smaller scale in present day USA.