Minnesota Humanities Center

Minneapolis - Digging Into Disciplinary Sources K-12
2025-11-20 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Chicago) | Minnesota Department of Education, 400 NE Stinson Blvd, Minneapolis, MN, 55413, United States
Learn how to identify, evaluate, and integrate disciplinary sources effectively. This session will provide strategies for engaging students with primary and secondary sources to develop their disciplinary literacy skills.
The Minnesota Department of Education, in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center, will host virtual and in-person sessions to support planning for and implementation of the 2021 K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies, held monthly during the 2025–26 school year. These sessions are open to anyone with building or district-level responsibilities for curriculum planning and development in all social studies content areas, including curriculum directors, department leads, and teachers. Pre-registration is required for in-person sessions.
Virtual sessions will have content similar to in-person sessions, and whenever possible will feature the same speakers.
In-person sessions will be an hour longer than virtual sessions and will allow time for supported collaborative work and networking.
While districts are encouraged to have a representative at each monthly session, either in-person or virtual, participants do not need to commit to attending all nine sessions. Participants are also welcome to attend either session type throughout the year, as is best suited to their needs and schedule.
K-12 educators will receive 2 clock hours.
Registration
Registration Questions: brittany.rawson-haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now

Bloomington - We Are Water MN
2025-11-22 - 2026-02-01 | Bloomington Education and Visitor Center, 3815 American Blvd E, Bloomington, MN, 55425, United States
The We Are Water MN traveling exhibit examines water issues statewide and in local communities through personal stories, histories, and scientific information. It strengthens Minnesotans’ relationships with water, exposes visitors to new perspectives, and increases participation in water stewardship activities.
Host Partner: Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Want to know more about We Are Water MN?
Learn more about the We Are Water MN exhibit, partnership, and programs.
Learn More

St. Paul - From Mountains to Lakes: Celebrate HERstory
2025-11-24 18:00 - 20:00 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
Join the Minnesota Humanities Center and Hnub Tshiab: Hmong Women Achieving Together (HWAT) as we celebrate with Kaohly Vang Her a defining moment in St. Paul and Hmong history, the election of Her as St. Paul’s first women and first Hmong mayor. From refugee beginnings to civic leadership, the Hmong story is one of strength, courage, and transformation. Together, we will enjoy food, hear from inspiring speakers and performers, and reflect on what this moment means for all of us.
Program
6:00pm: Social and Appetizers
6:30pm: Program Begins
7:45pm: Photos with St. Paul Mayor Elect Kaohly Vang Her
8:00pm: Program Concludes
Registration
Registration for this event has closed.

Online Content Session - Era Four: Imperial Expansion and Native Dispossession
2025-12-02 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
Trace the effects of U.S. expansion on Native nations and examine how policies of land seizure and sovereignty denial shaped the 19th century. Led by Dr. David Aiona Chang and moderated by Dr. Katharine Gerbner, this session will provide deep historical context, source analysis, and thematic framing.

View Dr. David Aiona Chang’s Bio

I am a Native Hawaiian historian of Indigenous people, colonialism, borders and migration in Hawaii and North America, focusing especially on the histories of Native American and Native Hawaiian people. My work moves between hyperlocal and global scales while centering the perspectives and experiences of Indigenous people and integrating close textual analysis, granular social history, theoretically informed analysis of race, gender, sexuality and nationalism, and Indigenous epistemologies and methodologies.

My second book, The World and All the Things Upon It: Native Hawaiian Geographies of Exploration was published in 2016 by the University of Minnesota Press. It speaks to a foundational imperative in Indigenous studies: the need to not just understand Indigenous people from their own perspectives, but to understand the world from their perspectives as well. It traces the ways that Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) explored the outside world and generated understandings of their place in it in the century and half after James Cook stumbled on their islands in 1778. In doing so, this book examines indigenous people as the active agents of global exploration, rather than the passive objects of that exploration, broadening our understanding of geographical knowledge production and power in the context of colonialism.

My first book, The Color of the Land, argues for the central place of struggles over the ownership of Native American lands in the history of racial and national construction by Creeks, African Americans, and whites in the Creek Nation and eastern Oklahoma. The Color of the Land was awarded the 2010 Theodore Saloutos Prize for best book in agricultural history from the Agricultural History Society and was granted Honorable Mention in the competition for the American Studies Association’s 2011 Lora Romero First Book Prize.

All Content Sessions will be conducted via Zoom and a Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)-hosted Canvas learning community. Each session’s lectures and discussions will be recorded and registered participants will receive access to the Canvas course with session recordings, curated resources, and collaborative planning tools.

High school U.S. History teachers and 5th and 7th grade educators are invited to participate in companion Pedagogy Sessions.

Registration
Content Sessions are open to all K–12 educators interested in historical content and source-based instruction. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.

This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.

Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us

Register Now

This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

St. Paul - From Mountains to Lakes: The Museums We Carry
2025-12-03 08:00 - 16:00 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
Across mountains, oceans, generations, and borders, the Hmong people have carried songs, textiles, and rituals that tell the stories of their identity for hundreds of years. Elders serve as living museums, passing knowledge from one generation to the next. Yet what happens when that transfer is disrupted, when younger generations reach for knowledge through the internet or AI, without understanding that Hmong truths live in many forms, shaped by clan, dialect, nationalism, and landscapes across the globe?
From Mountains to Lakes: The Museums We Carry is a daylong retreat that brings together Hmong cultural bearers, educators, and community leaders to examine the dangers of cultural extinction and explore collective ways to preserve identity. Held at the Hoċokata Ti Cultural Center, participants will engage in a guided learning experience led by members of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, reflecting on how Indigenous peoples sustain culture, language, and identity across generations. The retreat concludes with a collective reflection on the challenges ahead and a call to action to carry these living museums forward together.
Agenda:

8:00am Check-in at Minnesota Humanities Center, light continental breakfast will be served (8:00am – 8:45am)
8:45am Load Bus
9:00am Travel to Hocokata Ti Culture Center (Shakopee, MN)
9:45am Culture & Exhibit Tour (indoor & outdoor)
Noon Indigenous Lunch & Culture Exchange Panel Discussion
2:00pm Depart Hocokata Ti Culture Center and return to MHC
3:00pm Reflection
4:00pm Adjourn

K-12 Educators will receive 4 clock hours. Participants are welcome to wear traditional clothing.
Registration
Registration for this event has SOLD OUT.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org

Online - From Page to Practice: The Native American Lives Series in the Classroom
2025-12-04 07:30 - 08:30 | https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-from-page-to-practice-the-native-american-lives-series-in-the-classroom-morning/
Join us for an introductory professional development session on the Native American Lives Series—a vibrant new collection of biographies designed to support grades 1–8 educators in bringing Indigenous voices, histories, and perspectives into the classroom. This session will introduce the first four books in the series, each centering the life and legacy of a Native changemaker. Developed with Native authors, illustrators, and editors, these books provide culturally grounded content that supports both literacy development and inclusive social studies instruction.
Educators will have the opportunity to:

Engage with Minnesota Department of Education content specialists integrating indigenous content with current academic standards
Learn about classroom ready resources and educator guides
Hear from series co-editor Heid E. Erdrich and highlights about the series

K-8 Educators will receive 1 clock hour.
Registration
This event is free but registration is required. This session is also available at 4:00 p.m. on December 4, 2025.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Online - From Page to Practice: The Native American Lives Series in the Classroom
2025-12-04 16:00 - 17:00 | https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-from-page-to-practice-the-native-american-lives-series-in-the-classroom-evening/
Join us for an introductory professional development session on the Native American Lives Series—a vibrant new collection of biographies designed to support grades 1–8 educators in bringing Indigenous voices, histories, and perspectives into the classroom. This session will introduce the first four books in the series, each centering the life and legacy of a Native changemaker. Developed with Native authors, illustrators, and editors, these books provide culturally grounded content that supports both literacy development and inclusive social studies instruction.
Educators will have the opportunity to:

Engage with Minnesota Department of Education content specialists integrating indigenous content with current academic standards
Learn about classroom ready resources and educator guides
Hear from series co-editor Heid E. Erdrich and highlights about the series

K-8 Educators will receive 1 clock hour.
Registration
This event is free but registration is required. This session is also available at 7:30 a.m. on December 4, 2025.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Minneapolis - Feeding Our Souls: The Essence of Hotdish Wisdom
2025-12-08 11:00 - 13:30 | Sabathani Community Center, 310 E 38th St, Minneapolis, MN, 55409, United States
Feeding Our Souls the Essence of “Hotdish Wisdom” explores the themes of connecting and joy through food and community. Our partners for this unique intergeneration experience will feature BIPOC Foodways Alliance (BFA), the Minneapolis Public Schools, and the Sabathani Community Center. BFA will feature five “home cooks” who will tell their stories through the lens of home cooking. Through story circles, the event is aimed to uplift and share important cultural legacy stories and histories as elders and students enjoy five distinguished renditions of the comfort food – “hotdish.”
Registration
Registration is limited to senior citizens for this event.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Online - Building Summative Tasks for Social Studies
2025-12-17 07:30 - 08:30 | https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-building-summative-tasks-for-social-studies/
Gain insight into designing summative tasks that align with the inquiry arc. Participants will explore ways to assess students’ understanding through authentic performance-based assessments aligned to both the content and the skills of social studies benchmarks.
The Minnesota Department of Education, in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center, will host virtual and in-person sessions to support planning for and implementation of the 2021 K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies, held monthly during the 2025–26 school year. These sessions are open to anyone with building or district-level responsibilities for curriculum planning and development in all social studies content areas, including curriculum directors, department leads, and teachers. Pre-registration is required for in-person sessions.
Virtual sessions will have content similar to in-person sessions, and whenever possible will feature the same speakers.
In-person sessions will be an hour longer than virtual sessions and will allow time for supported collaborative work and networking.
While districts are encouraged to have a representative at each monthly session, either in-person or virtual, participants do not need to commit to attending all nine sessions. Participants are also welcome to attend either session type throughout the year, as is best suited to their needs and schedule.
K-12 educators will receive 1 clock hour.
Registration
Registration Questions: brittany.rawson-haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now

Online Pedagogy Session – Era Four: Imperial Expansion and Native Dispossession
2025-12-18 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
Trace the effects of U.S. expansion on Native nations and examine how policies of land seizure and sovereignty denial shaped the 19th century. Using content and sources from Dr. David Aiona Chang, Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Social Studies Specialist Brittany Rawson-Haeg and experienced classroom educators will lead this hands-on workshop supporting high school U.S. History teachers in designing inquiry-based, standards-aligned units.
All Pedagogy Sessions will be conducted via Zoom. Educators who participate in all Pedagogy Sessions will leave the year with a complete U.S. History course aligned to the new standards.
Educators are invited to participate in companion Content Sessions.
Registration
Pedagogy Sessions are designed for high school U.S. History teachers and may also be relevant for 5th and 7th grade educators. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.
This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.
Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now
This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

Online Content Session - Era Five: Slavery, Civil War, and Reconstruction
2026-01-15 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
Explore the causes, course, and consequences of the Civil War, and evaluate the transformative potential and limitations of Reconstruction. Led by Dr. Rebecca Brückmann and moderated by Dr. Katharine Gerbner, this session will provide deep historical context, source analysis, and thematic framing.

View Dr. Rebecca Brückmann’s Bio

Rebecca Brückmann (pronounced “Brookman”) is an associate professor of History at Carleton College, who specializes in African American History. She completed her Ph.D. in Modern and Contemporary History at Free University Berlin, Germany, in 2014. She is the author of the monograph “Massive Resistance and Southern Womanhood: White Women, Class, and Segregation” (University of Georgia Press, 2021), which analyzes whites supremacist women’s resistance against Black Freedom activism in Arkansas, Louisiana, and South Carolina from the 1940s to the 1960s. Her research on the Black Freedom Movement, the history of the Black Diaspora, Southern history, and the history of white supremacy has been published, e.g., in the Southern Quarterly, the South Carolina Historical Magazine, the European Journal of American Studies, and “Picturing Black History.” She is currently an Academic Leadership Fellow of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest. At Carleton, she teaches courses on Black and African American history from the 14th through the 21st centuries, including “Black Perspectives on the Civil War and Reconstruction,” “Slavery in the Atlantic World,” and “Freedom Then, Freedom Now: Reconstruction to #BlackLivesMatter.”

All Content Sessions will be conducted via Zoom and a Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)-hosted Canvas learning community. Each session’s lectures and discussions will be recorded and registered participants will receive access to the Canvas course with session recordings, curated resources, and collaborative planning tools. High school U.S. History teachers and 5th and 7th grade educators are invited to participate in companion Pedagogy Sessions.
Registration
Content Sessions are open to all K–12 educators interested in historical content and source-based instruction. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.

This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.

Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us

Register Now

This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

Winona - Third Thursday MMAM and the Native American Lives Series - George Morrison: Modern Artist
2026-01-15 18:30 - 19:30 | Minnesota Marine Art Museum, 800 Riverview Drive, Winona, 55987, United States
Join us at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum for a Third Thursday book event, featuring the Native American Lives Series title, “George Morrison: Modern Artist.” Author Staci Drouillard and illustrator Tashia Hart will share their stories about how this book project was created as well as shed light on the incredible career of George Morrison, Grand Portage Anishinaabe artist, the subject of a major solo exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Native American Lives Series, a joint publishing effort between the Minnesota Humanities Center and Lerner publishing, shares real life stories of Dakota and Ojibwe leaders, artists, activists, and elders who have been influential for their communities and have shaped Minnesota and national history. The series co-editors, Heid E. Erdrich and Gwen Nell Westerman share that “These children’s books are by, for, and about Dakota and Ojibwe people and will help Dakota, Ojibwe, and other Native American children imagine their own potential and help them see their cultures represented alongside biographies of American leaders in our society.”
Presented in partnership with the Minnesota Marine Art Museum.
Registration
Registration through the Minnesota Marine Art Museum. Students may attend for free, however registration is still required.
Registration Questions: hello@mmam.org
Register Now

Online - Repeatable Routines: Building Formative Tasks for Social Studies, Session One
2026-01-21 07:30 - 08:30 | https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-repeatable-routines-building-formative-tasks-for-social-studies-session-one/
Begin a three-part series on developing effective formative assessment routines. This session will introduce strategies for using formative tasks to gauge student learning and adjust instruction in real-time.
The Minnesota Department of Education, in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center, will host virtual and in-person sessions to support planning for and implementation of the 2021 K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies, held monthly during the 2025–26 school year. These sessions are open to anyone with building or district-level responsibilities for curriculum planning and development in all social studies content areas, including curriculum directors, department leads, and teachers. Pre-registration is required for in-person sessions.
Virtual sessions will have content similar to in-person sessions, and whenever possible will feature the same speakers.
In-person sessions will be an hour longer than virtual sessions and will allow time for supported collaborative work and networking.
While districts are encouraged to have a representative at each monthly session, either in-person or virtual, participants do not need to commit to attending all nine sessions. Participants are also welcome to attend either session type throughout the year, as is best suited to their needs and schedule.
K-12 educators will receive 1 clock hour.
Registration
Registration Questions: brittany.rawson-haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now

Minneapolis - Repeatable Routines: Building Formative Tasks for Social Studies, Session One
2026-01-22 09:00 - 11:00 | Minnesota Department of Education, 400 NE Stinson Blvd, Minneapolis, MN, 55413, United States
Begin a three-part series on developing effective formative assessment routines. This session will introduce strategies for using formative tasks to gauge student learning and adjust instruction in real-time.
The Minnesota Department of Education, in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center, will host virtual and in-person sessions to support planning for and implementation of the 2021 K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies, held monthly during the 2025–26 school year. These sessions are open to anyone with building or district-level responsibilities for curriculum planning and development in all social studies content areas, including curriculum directors, department leads, and teachers. Pre-registration is required for in-person sessions.
Virtual sessions will have content similar to in-person sessions, and whenever possible will feature the same speakers.
In-person sessions will be an hour longer than virtual sessions and will allow time for supported collaborative work and networking.
While districts are encouraged to have a representative at each monthly session, either in-person or virtual, participants do not need to commit to attending all nine sessions. Participants are also welcome to attend either session type throughout the year, as is best suited to their needs and schedule.
K-12 educators will receive 2 clock hours.
Registration
Registration Questions: brittany.rawson-haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now

St. Paul - Asian Talk: What It Means To Be Human vs AI
2026-01-22 16:30 - 19:30 | Minnesota Humanities Event Center, 987 Ivy Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
Asian Talk is a series that immerses participants in thought-provoking conversations through the perspective of Asian American scholars, professionals and culture bearers on the topic of Artificial Intelligence. Each event blends story, scholarship, culture and even some humor to explore how technology is shaping our shared future through the grounding lens of the humanities. All are welcome, especially young professionals and college students. Our first event is sponsored and co-hosted by HAP.
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) rapidly shapes our world, transforming how we work, learn, create, and connect, it also challenges us to reflect deeply on our shared humanity. What does it mean to be human when machines can write, speak, and even appear to feel? How do we ensure that technology serves people, cultures, and communities and will never replace it?
Through engaging community conversations, and hearing from local leaders and national speaker Dr. Mai Lee Chang, participants will explore the intersections of culture, technology, and what it means to be human. The program will conclude with a reflection by distinguished author Kao Kalia Yang and a powerful drumming performance by TaikoArts Midwest.
Program Schedule:

4:30pm – Check-in & Appetizers
5:00pm – Program Starts
7:00pm – Social Networking
7:30pm – End

Keynote:
Dr. Mai Lee Chang is a research scientist specializing in human-AI collaboration. Her work encompasses a range of AI technologies including robots, conversational agents, and other embodied AI. Her research focuses on aligning AI behavior with human values, such as algorithms that optimize for both efficiency and fairness within human-robot teams. She investigates these dynamics in complex, multi-stakeholder domains including healthcare and aging. Dr. Chang recently completed her postdoctoral research at Carnegie Mellon University. She holds a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and previously worked as an engineer at NASA-Johnson Space Center.
Honorary Guest:
Kao Kalia Yang is an award-winning writer, teacher, and speaker whose work explores identity, loss, resilience, and the depths of the human experience. Her acclaimed memoirs, The Latehomecomer, The Song Poet, and Somewhere in the Unknown World have received national recognition, including honors from the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the National Book Critics Circle, for their powerful storytelling. Through her children’s literature she creates tender narratives that help readers of all ages understand hope, belonging, and the meaning we make of our lives. Yang is widely regarded as a leading and distinguished literary voice on what it means to be human.
Event Co-host, Sponsor, and Emcee:
May yer Thao is President & CEO of HAP whose mission is to catalyze economic prosperity through education, community support, and entrepreneurship, working with all individuals, while uplifting Hmong & Southeast Asian American communities.
Featured Thought Leader Panelists:
Dani Thao is a marriage and family therapist whose work is shaped by her Hmong refugee family background and a deep understanding of multigenerational systems. She supports individuals, couples, and families in navigating culture, identity, communication, and healing within their relational and cultural ecosystems. As President of ACEL Minneapolis–St. Paul, Dani leads initiatives that elevate Asian American leadership and strengthen community connection across the Twin Cities. Her approach blends cultural humility, systems thinking, and compassionate leadership, empowering communities to grow with clarity, resilience, and purpose.
Shajive Jeganathan is a technology leader specializing in AI governance and digital innovation across MedTech, e-commerce, FinTech, and legal tech. He holds several prominent leadership and board roles, including President and Co-Founder of the India Chamber of Commerce Minnesota, President of the Hindu Society of Minnesota, Board Chair of the Lankan Professionals Network, a Governor-appointed board member of the Minnesota Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience, and Interior Design (AELSLAGID), and an Executive Advisory Board member at GBJets. He recently received an honorary listing in Marquis Who’s Who in America. In addition to his professional and civic leadership, Shajive is the winner of Mister South Asia 2025, with an international modeling career that includes runway appearances in New York, New York Fashion Week, Los Angeles Fashion Week, and Milan Fashion Week, Italy, and he also hosts the Prime Talks podcast.
Community Contributors: Asian Corporate and Entrepreneur Leaders, Hindu Society, India Chamber of Commerce, and TaikoArts Midwest

Online Pedagogy Session – Era Five: Slavery, Civil War, and Reconstruction
2026-01-29 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
Explore the causes, course, and consequences of the Civil War, and evaluate the transformative potential and limitations of Reconstruction. Using content and sources from Dr. Rebecca Brückmann, Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Social Studies Specialist Brittany Rawson-Haeg and experienced classroom educators will lead this hands-on workshop supporting high school U.S. History teachers in designing inquiry-based, standards-aligned units.
All Pedagogy Sessions will be conducted via Zoom. Educators who participate in all Pedagogy Sessions will leave the year with a complete U.S. History course aligned to the new standards.
Educators are invited to participate in companion Content Sessions.
Registration
Pedagogy Sessions are designed for high school U.S. History teachers and may also be relevant for 5th and 7th grade educators. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.
This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.
Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now
This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

The Great Northern Festival: Poets Building Community
2026-01-29 17:00 - 19:00 | The Loft at Open Book, 1011 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis, MN, 55415, United States
Join us at The Great Northern Festival for an evening of poetry, conversation, and civic imagination as The Loft hosts Poets Building Community, a special gathering of Poets Laureate from across Minnesota. This event is the culminating public program of Minneapolis Poet Laureate Junauda Petrus’s 2025–2026 laureate year.
Guided by Petrus’s central question—“What does community look like for you?”—Poets Laureate will share original poems and reflect on the civic and cultural work they carry into their communities. The evening will weave together art, storytelling, and public purpose, offering a rare glimpse into how poets help shape the places we call home.
Featured poets will include:

Junauda Petrus, Minneapolis Poet Laureate
Gwen Nell Westerman, Minnesota State Poet Laureate
Jean Prokott, Rochester Poet Laureate
Donte Collins, former St. Paul Youth Poet Laureate
Heid E. Erdrich, inaugural Minneapolis Poet Laureate
Joyce Sutphen, former Minnesota State Poet Laureate

The conversation will be moderated by Cristeta Boarini, Partnerships Manager at the Loft.
We will also take a moment to recognize Andrea Jenkins for her contributions as a poet and her pivotal role in establishing the Minneapolis Poet Laureate position – (City Council Member 2017-2025).
Come celebrate the power of poetry to build connection, spark change, and imagine new futures together.
Registration
This event is free and open to all, however registration through The Loft is required.
Registration Questions: loft@loft.org
Register Now

Winona - Water Bar at the New Look Preview Party
2026-01-30 18:30 - 22:00 | Minnesota Marine Art Museum, 800 Riverview Drive, Winona, 55987, United States
MHC is excited to bring the Water Bar to the Minnesota Marine Art Museum’s (MMAM) New Look Preview Party, where water tenders will serve up flights of local drinking waters and spark conversations around stewardship of local water resources.
“What’s a Water Bar?” you may wonder? A Water Bar is a bar that serves free, local water. It’s a social space that centers the life-sustaining action of drinking water. It’s a table to gather around. It’s a space for quenching thirst, for questioning water, for sharing and encountering stories, and for being and becoming part of a community.
MMAM’s New Look Preview Party celebrates the launch of their2026 theme, Making Waves – marking two decades of genre defying artists pushing the boundaries of what marine art is, and can be – and three new exhibition projects that usher in the new year: Splish, Splash, Story: Selections from The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Robert Gonzalez: Mystical Waters, and Water | Craft.
This memorable night out at the museum features enlightening artist conversations, drink specials and light bites by the Waterbar Cafe & Provisions culinary team, and a world-premiere live performance of Glacial Spatial—an immersive sound experience created by Trever Hagen and Josh Berg in collaboration with the Winona Symphony Orchestra, curated in partnership with Liquid Music.
Registration
Tickets for this event must be purchased through the MMAM. MMAM is now offering friends of MHC $15 Presenting Partner Advanced Tickets! Use promotional code – NEWLOOK2026.
Register Now

Minneapolis - The Great Northern Festival: Water Bar @ Sauna Village
2026-01-31 10:00 - 18:00 | Riverplace Courtyard, 1 SE Main St, Minneapolis, 55414, United States
MHC is excited to bring the Water Bar to The Great Northern Festival, where water tenders will serve up flights of local drinking waters and spark conversations around stewardship of local water resources.
“What’s a Water Bar?” you may wonder? A Water Bar is a bar that serves free, local water. It’s a social space that centers the life-sustaining action of drinking water. It’s a table to gather around. It’s a space for quenching thirst, for questioning water, for sharing and encountering stories, and for being and becoming part of a community.
Join us inside the Riverplace building next to the Sauna Village before or after your steam.

Online Content Session – Era Six: Migration, Imperialism, and Inequality
2026-02-03 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
Examine the late 19th and early 20th century through the lenses of industrialization, imperial expansion, and rising social inequality. Led by Dr. Maddalena Marinari and moderated by Dr. Katharine Gerbner, this session will provide deep historical context, source analysis, and thematic framing.

View Dr. Maddalena Marinari’s Bio

Maddalena Marinari is Professor of History at Gustavus Adolphus College. She is the author of Unwanted: Italian and Jewish Mobilization Against Restrictive Immigration Laws, 1882–1965 (2020). Her work on immigration restriction, U.S. immigration policy, and immigrant mobilization has appeared in the Journal of American History, Journal of Policy History, Journal of American Ethnic History, Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, and Social Science History Journal. She has also co-edited four books and two special journal issues on different aspects of US immigration history in the twentieth century. Her next book explores the history of family, marriage, and sexuality in U.S. immigration policy from 1875 to 2025. Professor Marinari is currently president of the Immigration and Ethnic History Society.

All Content Sessions will be conducted via Zoom and a Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)-hosted Canvas learning community. Each session’s lectures and discussions will be recorded and registered participants will receive access to the Canvas course with session recordings, curated resources, and collaborative planning tools.

High school U.S. History teachers and 5th and 7th grade educators are invited to participate in companion Pedagogy Sessions.
Registration
Content Sessions are open to all K–12 educators interested in historical content and source-based instruction. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.

This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.

Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us

Register Now

This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

St. Paul - Feeding Our Souls: The Essence of Food and Musical Joy
2026-02-06 18:00 - 20:00 | Progressive Baptist Church, 1505 Burns Ave E, St. Paul, MN, 55106, United States
Feeding Our Souls: The Essence of Joy events explore the themes of connecting through foods which have always played a pivotal role in shaping our identities and communities. Recipes and flavors bind families, showcase heritage, and promote understanding. Our series delves into this unique intersection of food and culture, inviting participants to explore the rich narratives behind every dish.
The Feeding Our Souls: The Essence of Food and Musical Joy evening will examine the connections and relationship of food and music. Our partners for this unique integration of the arts will feature Chef James Johnson, Founder of Cooks of Hope, and members of the Vocal Essence Witness Choral Ensemble, G. Phillip Schoultz Director. Through the richness of Gullah-Geechie, Low Country cuisine, traditional spirituals, Gullah music, and story circle dialogues, the event is aimed to uplift and share important cultural legacy stories and histories.
Registration
This event is free, however registration is required.
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org
Register Now

Shoreview - Minnesota Writers Off the Page: Debra J. Stone
2026-02-18 17:30 - 19:15 | Emmet D. Williams Elementary School, 955 W County Rd D, Shoreview, 55126, United States
To celebrate Black History Month, Off the Page is pleased to feature author Debra J. Stone and her new book, “The House on Rondo.” Debra will be in conversation with Terresa Hardaway, discussing the history of the Rondo neighborhood, what it means to be a writer, and their hopes for the future of Rondo. Following the discussion, audience members are invited to participate in a Q&A session, and have further informal conversation with the featured speakers. Copies of “The House on Rondo” will be available for purchase, and the evening will finish with a book signing.
Debra J. Stone is a 2023-2025 Jerome Hill Arts Fellow in Literature, essay, poet and novel author. More of her work has been published by Blue Earth Review, Indiana Review, Green Mountains Review, Under the Gum Tree, and other literary journals. In 2021 her poem, “year-of- staying–in place,” was nominated Best of Net and Pushcart nominated. She is a board member of the Hennepin History Museum. Debra is married and resides in Minneapolis.
Terresa Hardaway, Ph.D., is an abolitionist, design researcher, author, anti-racist facilitator, creative director, organizer, and educator based in Minneapolis. She is Creative Director of Blackbird Revolt— a social justice-based design studio; an Associate Professor of Graphic Design; McKnight Presidential Fellow; the Director of Design Justice at the University of Minnesota’s College of Design; and the owner of Black Garnet Books.
This event is presented in partnership with Black Garnet Books, an independent bookstore in Saint Paul, MN, that offers a curated selection of books and art by authors and illustrators of color in an environment that encourages learning, joyful interaction, and communal care for everyone who visits. This event is part of the Minnesota Writers Off the Page series, bringing the inspirational voices of Minnesota’s authors directly to readers. This edition of Minnesota Writers Off the Page will be held at Emmet D. Williams Elementary School in Shoreview.

Online Pedagogy Session – Era Six: Migration, Imperialism, and Inequality
2026-02-19 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
Examine the late 19th and early 20th century through the lenses of industrialization, imperial expansion, and rising social inequality. Using content and sources from Dr. Maddalena Marinari, Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Social Studies Specialist Brittany Rawson-Haeg and experienced classroom educators will lead this hands-on workshop supporting high school U.S. History teachers in designing inquiry-based, standards-aligned units.
All Pedagogy Sessions will be conducted via Zoom. Educators who participate in all Pedagogy Sessions will leave the year with a complete U.S. History course aligned to the new standards.
Educators are invited to participate in companion Content Sessions.
Registration
Pedagogy Sessions are designed for high school U.S. History teachers and may also be relevant for 5th and 7th grade educators. Educators are welcome to register for individual sessions that align with their interests and schedules. Join us for one or more sessions throughout the year.
This event is free but registration is required. Separate registration is required for each offering.
Registration Questions: Brittany.Rawson-Haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now
This offering is part of Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K–12 Academic Standards in Social Studies presented by MHC and MDE.

St. Paul – 2026 Minnesota Council for the Social Studies (MCSS) Conference
2026-02-21 07:30 - 16:30 | Macalester College, 1600 Grand Ave, St. Paul, 55105, United States
The Minnesota Humanities Center will be at the annual Minnesota Council for the Social Studies (MCSS) Conference this year – stop by our table to connect with us, explore educator resources, and learn more about our work with educators.
You can also find us co-presenting at the following sessions:

Experiential Civic Learning: Cultivating Communities that Practice Democracy Through We the People and Project Citizen
Rethinking History and the Meaning of Freedom
K-5 Inquiry through Primary Sources
Ethnic Studies in Action: Place-Based Learning to Strengthen Civic Engagement
Meeting the Mandate: Genocide Education in Minnesota’s Classrooms
Towards 2026: Building Disciplinary Literacy in the 2021 K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies
From Bdote to the Classroom: Learning from Place to Inspire Civic Engagement

About MCSS
The Minnesota Council for the Social Studies supports, advocates for, and celebrates excellence in the teaching and learning of social studies in Minnesota.
Registration
Registration through MCSS is required to attend.
Register Now

North Mankato - Social Studies Standards Workshop Series
2026-02-23 09:00 - 15:00 | South Central Services Cooperative, 2075 Lookout Drive, North Mankato, 56003, United States
The Social Studies Standards Workshop Series is a two-day workshop series (February 23 and April 30, 2026) designed to equip K–12 teachers and school leaders with the knowledge and tools needed to successfully implement the new social studies standards by the 2026–27 school year. Participants will engage in a guided exploration of the revised standards, including analysis of major content shifts, vertical alignment across grade levels, and implications for curriculum planning.
Throughout the workshop, teams will connect the updated standards to the C3 Framework, deepening their understanding of high-quality instructional practices and identifying necessary instructional shifts to support student learning.
K-12 educators will receive 5 clock hours for each session.
Registration
Registration for this event is managed by South Central Services Cooperative. Fee for Series ($200.00) includes lunch both days. Registration closes Monday, February 23, 2026.
Registration Questions: 507-389-1425
Register Now

Byron - We Are Water MN
2026-02-24 - 2026-04-20 | Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo, 5731 County Rd 105 NW, Byron, MN, 55920, United States
The We Are Water MN traveling exhibit examines water issues statewide and in local communities through personal stories, histories, and scientific information. It strengthens Minnesotans’ relationships with water, exposes visitors to new perspectives, and increases participation in water stewardship activities.
Host Partner: Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo
We Are Water MN is thrilled to make its 2026 debut at our very first zoo host site! Please visit the exhibit at the newly-renovated Zollman Zoo & Nature Center, where you can learn more about water alongside the many animals that call it home. The Dr. Paul E. Zollman Zoo houses over 30 species of wild animals native to Minnesota, so be sure to leave time for a visit to the otters and eagles! This stop on our We Are Water MN is also a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the unique Karst Geology of the Olmstead County area–don’t miss out on the chance to learn more about this unique geography!
Want to make a day of out of your visit to the exhibit? Oxbow Park offers almost any outdoor enthusiast a chance to pursue their favorite activity such as hiking, fishing, snowshoeing, and more.
About We Are Water MN?
We are Water MN is a project of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension.
Learn more about the We Are Water MN exhibit, partnership, and programs.
Learn More

Online - Repeatable Routines: Building Formative Tasks for Social Studies, Session Two
2026-02-25 07:30 - 08:30 | https://www.mnhum.org/event/online-repeatable-routines-building-formative-tasks-for-social-studies-session-two/
Continue refining formative assessment practices by exploring structured routines that encourage student engagement, reflection and feedback in the social studies classroom.
The Minnesota Department of Education, in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center, will host virtual and in-person sessions to support planning for and implementation of the 2021 K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies, held monthly during the 2025–26 school year. These sessions are open to anyone with building or district-level responsibilities for curriculum planning and development in all social studies content areas, including curriculum directors, department leads, and teachers. Pre-registration is required for in-person sessions.
Virtual sessions will have content similar to in-person sessions, and whenever possible will feature the same speakers.
In-person sessions will be an hour longer than virtual sessions and will allow time for supported collaborative work and networking.
While districts are encouraged to have a representative at each monthly session, either in-person or virtual, participants do not need to commit to attending all nine sessions. Participants are also welcome to attend either session type throughout the year, as is best suited to their needs and schedule.
K-12 educators will receive 1 clock hour.
Registration
Registration Questions: brittany.rawson-haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now

Morton - 5th Annual Dakota and Ojibwe Language Symposium
2026-02-25 12:00 - 2026-02-27 13:00 | Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel, 39375 County Rd 24, Morton, MN, 56270, United States
The Minnesota Indian Affairs Council’s Language Revitalization Working Group, partnering with the Minnesota Humanities Center, is hosting the 5th Annual Dakota and Ojibwe Language Symposium. The goal of the symposium is to bring people and educators working in Dakota and Ojibwe language revitalization together. We will use this time to celebrate successes, highlight the current state of the field, shape future language revitalization efforts, and elevate the visibility of Indigenous languages throughout the state of Minnesota. By bringing people together, we hope this symposium serves as an opportunity for individuals to network with other Dakota and Ojibwe language professionals and provide valuable resources.
CEUs will be available for educators attending the symposium.
This year, the symposium will be held February 25, 26, and 27, 2026 at Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel in Morton, MN. Breakfast and lunch are included. Participants are responsible for booking their own overnight accommodations if needed and can call Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel at 1-800-946-2274.
View Schedule
If you have any questions, please email Skyler Kuczaboski at skyler.kuczaboski@state.mn.us.

Community Presenter Application
If you are interested in leading an in-person session for other symposium participants, we invite you to submit a proposal. Sessions will be approximately 45 minutes long, and proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis until all sessions are filled.

Exhibitor Application
If you’re interested in tabling at the Symposium, please complete an application. All applicants will be notified of the planning committee’s decision on their proposal within a week. Priority will be given to those focusing on language revitalization. The final decision on selection will be determined by the Working Group.
Please note: No sales will be allowed at symposium. This application is meant for informational/educational booths that are handing out free information and literature, not selling items.

Symposium Registration
Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org | MHC Cancellation Policy
Register Now

Roseville - Minnesota Writers Off the Page: Carson Faust
2026-02-25 18:00 - 19:30 | Makwa Coffee, 2805 Hamline Ave N, Roseville, MN, 55113, United States
Minnesota Writers Off the Page and Makwa Coffee’s Native Author Book Club are joining forces for a special evening with Carson Faust, author of “If the Dead Belong Here,” an intergenerational thriller, permeated with Indigenous folklore and the supernatural. Faust will be in discussion with author Dennis E. Staples, and along with readings from the book, they will discuss ghosts, hauntings, the craft of horror/thriller, and how their Indigenous backgrounds inform their writing. Following the discussion, audience members are invited to participate in a Q&A session, and have further informal conversation with the featured speakers. Light refreshments will be available for purchase through the cafe. Copies of “If the Dead Belong Here” will be available for purchase, and the evening will finish with a book signing.
About the Speakers
Carson Faust is two-spirit and an enrolled member of the Edisto Natchez-Kusso Tribe of South Carolina. He is the recipient of artist fellowships from the McKnight Foundation and the Jerome Foundation. His fiction has appeared in TriQuarterly, ANMLY, and Waxwing, among other journals, and has been anthologized in “Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology.” He lives in Minnesota, where he works in philanthropy.
Dennis E. Staples is an Ojibwe writer from Bemidji, Minnesota, and the author of “This Town Sleeps” and “Passing Through a Prairie Country.” He holds an MFA in fiction from the Institute of American Indian Arts and is a graduate of the 2018 Clarion West Writers Workshop and a recipient of the Octavia E. Butler Memorial Scholarship. His work has appeared in Asimov’s Science Fiction and Nightmare magazine. He is a member of the Red Lake Nation.
This event is presented in partnership with Makwa Coffee, a community centered craft coffee shop in Roseville, MN. This event is part of the Minnesota Writers Off the Page series, bringing the inspirational voices of Minnesota’s authors directly to readers.
Registration
This event has been postponed. Please check back for updated date and time.

Minneapolis - Repeatable Routines: Building Formative Tasks for Social Studies, Session Two
2026-02-26 09:00 - 11:00 | Minnesota Department of Education, 400 NE Stinson Blvd, Minneapolis, MN, 55413, United States
Continue refining formative assessment practices by exploring structured routines that encourage student engagement, reflection and feedback in the social studies classroom.
The Minnesota Department of Education, in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center, will host virtual and in-person sessions to support planning for and implementation of the 2021 K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies, held monthly during the 2025–26 school year. These sessions are open to anyone with building or district-level responsibilities for curriculum planning and development in all social studies content areas, including curriculum directors, department leads, and teachers. Pre-registration is required for in-person sessions.
Virtual sessions will have content similar to in-person sessions, and whenever possible will feature the same speakers.
In-person sessions will be an hour longer than virtual sessions and will allow time for supported collaborative work and networking.
While districts are encouraged to have a representative at each monthly session, either in-person or virtual, participants do not need to commit to attending all nine sessions. Participants are also welcome to attend either session type throughout the year, as is best suited to their needs and schedule.
K-12 educators will receive 2 clock hours.
Registration
Registration Questions: brittany.rawson-haeg@state.mn.us
Register Now
