[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 97 (Tuesday, June 7, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E582-E583]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MINNESOTA HUMANITIES CENTER

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 7, 2022

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 
Minnesota Humanities Center as they celebrate their 50th anniversary of 
``sparking change'' in our communities using the power of the 
humanities to explore, interpret, and engage. The Minnesota Humanities 
Center (MHC) is a collaborative non-profit working with individuals, 
organizations and communities to bring humanities programming to all 
Minnesotans, and is rooted in the belief that the humanities have the 
power to connect, bridge differences, interpret the complexities of the 
world and positively shape our future.
  Founded by the National Endowment for the Humanities in 1971, MHC was 
one of the very first humanities councils in the nation. In their first 
few decades they focused on a range of education initiatives that 
explored Minnesota's people and their history, and used televised or 
in-person programs to enhance the way that educators taught about these 
subjects in their classrooms. As MHC continued to grow they expanded by 
creating traveling exhibits and public events, bringing in 
international speakers and publishing books. Their burgeoning 
programming in the 1990s eventually led to the opening of their full-
service event center in the former wing of Gillette Children's Hospital 
in Saint Paul in 1996. This center on the east side of Saint Paul is 
still the home of the Minnesota Humanities Center today, and houses a 
full-service meeting and event center, 15 administrative offices and 15 
overnight guest rooms.
  As MHC moved into the 21st century, their programming continued to 
expand and shift to serve the needs of Minnesotans. They began to focus 
on providing culturally responsive and linguistically relevant literacy 
initiatives in White and Green Hmong, Somali, Dakota and Ojibwe, and 
they broadened partnerships with school districts while engaging new 
audiences in a deeper understanding of history, culture and identity. 
One example of this programming is a documentary they co-produced with 
Twin Cities Public Television called ``Iron Range: Minnesota Building 
America'' that highlights the history and future of the Iron Range in 
northern Minnesota and won an Emmy Award for Best Cultural Documentary 
in 2009. Another example of their important work is their Veteran's 
Voices program which began in 2013 and honors Minnesota Veterans by 
celebrating their written and spoken stories about their experiences 
serving their country.
  Grant-making is also central to the work of MHC. For 50 years they 
have worked hard to champion the work of individuals, nonprofits, 
schools and other collectives across Minnesota through their own 
competitive grants and by administering grant funds appropriated by the 
Minnesota Legislature. In the last year, MHC distributed over $4.7 
million through 180 grants across Minnesota, and through the CARES Act 
were awarded an additional $538,500 to support COVID-19 relief efforts. 
I was proud to vote in favor of those funds, and I continue to support 
funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities through my role 
as Vice-Chair of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee.
  Led today by CEO Kevin Lindsey, MHC continues to be a beacon for 
learning and positive change in Minnesota, seeking to fulfill their 
vision of a just society that is connected, curious, and compassionate 
as they look to their next 50 years of service to the community. Madam 
Speaker, please join me in recognizing the Minnesota Humanities Center 
and their excellent humanities programming as they celebrate their 50th 
anniversary.

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