Historical society makes 100 years of Native newspapers available online

The Minnesota Historical Society is digitizing more a hundred years of Native American newspapers, so they can be accessed online.

“To be able to just archive our histories as it happens, and especially that first-person perspective,” said Rita Walaszek Arndt, program and outreach manager for Native American Initiatives at the Minnesota Historical Society. “Being able to have those primary sources from the people is really important.”

She said one of the most interesting parts of the project was seeing now-defunct newspapers that circulated in the Twin Cities in the 1970s.

“It’s from Native American people,” said Arndt, a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe. “It’s from first speakers, knowing what they’re talking about, instead of somebody else reporting on our community.”

The conversation has been edited for time, you can listen to it by clicking the play button above. You can browse the newspaper collection at the Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub.

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