This collection encompasses 50-plus years of interviews, readings, speeches, and reports on the vibrant literary scene in Minnesota. Not only home to giants F. Scott Fitzgerald and Sinclair Lewis, our state has an array of incredible contemporary poets, novelists and playwrights. Their words make up majority of this collection.
Repeatedly being named the “Most Literate City in the United States,” the Twin Cities has played host to numerous visiting national writers via book tours, festivals, and lectures. Many recordings of these are also included.
This project was funded by the National Historical Publications & Records Commission.
August 27, 1974 - MER’s Connie Goldman interviews Garrison Keillor and his son Jason about their day at the Minnesota State Fair. The interview changes up when Garrison starts interviewing Connie.
September 7, 1974 - Sigurd Olson, environmentalist and author, speaking at the University of Minnesota-Duluth summer commencement. Topic of speech is on the ‘wilderness challenge.’
September 8, 1974 - On this Forum program, Hiram Drache, professor of history at Concordia College-Moorhead, speaks on farmers, farms and farming in relation to North Dakota, and the 1930s Depression and other trying times.
September 19, 1974 - The Council of American Witches hold their fourth convention in Minneapolis. Chairman Carl Weschcke says witches are socially conscious people, wanting to save mankind from self-destruction.
October 4, 1974 - Mulford Q. Sibley, professor of political science at the University of Minnesota, speaks on the immense political, social, economic, religious, and physical toll of Vietnam war. Discussion not limited to South or North division, but all parties involved, including the United States.
October 9, 1974 - Documentary on Southwestern Minnesota tour of ‘Minnesota Poetry Out Loud’ - a week-long caravan of Minnesota poets operating out of Camden State Park, south of Marshall, giving formal and informal readings at the end of July 1974.
October 19, 1974 - D. Smith presents a profile of Black poet Ramona Austin. Feature includes reading by Austin at opening and close of segment. There is also a short interview, where she discusses her thoughts on poetry and how race plays into her writing.
February 23, 1975 - MPR’s Bob Potter presents a program on a book collection of local poets titled “The Broken Glass Factory.”
May 15, 1975 - A Midday presentation of speeches by environmentalist and author Sigurd Olson, and former Interior Secretary Stewart Udall at the annual meeting of the Northern Environmental Council in Superior, Wisconsin.
May 15, 1975 - A Midday presentation of speeches by environmentalist and author Sigurd Olson, and former Interior Secretary Stewart Udall at the annual meeting of the Northern Environmental Council in Superior, Wisconsin.