Lisa Ryan

1 week ago | mprnews.org | Lisa Ryan |Kyra Miles

This year marks 50 years of Hmong refugee resettlement and immigration to Minnesota.  When communists took over Laos in May 1975, many Hmong people had to quickly escape. Across the Mekong River in Thailand, Hmong people were homeless and stateless. They'd been allies of the United States during the Vietnam War and had to flee as the U.S. pulled out. The first Hmong family arrived in Minnesota on Nov. 5, 1975.

Feb 11, 2025 | mprnews.org | Lisa Ryan |Elisabeth Gawthrop |Kyra Miles

In celebration of Black History Month in February, MPR News is highlighting Black history throughout the state. From a fur trader believed to be one of the first African descendants in territory that is now Minnesota, to streets and parks renamed in 2024 after Black community leaders, these sites span the state and the centuries. Southern MinnesotaGibbs Elementary School in Rochester is named after George W. Gibbs Jr., the first known Black person to set foot in Antarctica.