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In the most basic sense, what’s commonly referred to as “the fur trade” was a period of cultural and economic exchange between Native Americans and European Americans, according to the Minnesota Historical Society. As the pages of history were put down, one aspect that was continually overlooked is the role women played at home, in the woods, and throughout many aspects of life during the fur trade. The simple truth is that Indigenous women actively contributed to the success of the North American fur trade, according to Karl Koster, a Minnesota historian who specializes in the history of the iconic fur trade.In this MinneCulture In-Depth feature, KFAI contributor Joe Friedrichs explores the role of women during the fur trade as told through the lens of a Grand Marais woman, Laura Powell Marxen. Laura continues to trap and sell fur on Minnesota's North Shore, much like her great-grandmother, Mary Ottertail, did in the early 1900s near what is now the end of the Gunflint Trail. Season 7 of the MinneCulture podcast is edited and executive produced by Julie Censullo and hosted by John Grebretatose.Support for MinneCulture on KFAI has been provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

By 1965, the Beatles were the biggest music group in the world. They sold millions of records. They recorded songs that were not only popular but also took music in new directions. And everywhere they went, they stirred up an excitement so hysterical and commonplace there was a word for it: Beatlemania.Minnesota fans had fallen in love with the Lads from Liverpool the moment they appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964. But the Beatles passed Minnesota by on their first North American tour, and there was no guarantee they would stop by on their second. But they did.This is the story of how the Beatles came to Minnesota for one magical and madcap night in August 1965 from the people who were there. KFAI's Britt Aamodt has the story. Season 7 of the MinneCulture podcast is edited and executive produced by Julie Censullo and hosted by John GebretatoseSupport for MinneCulture on KFAI has been provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

Archives tell an important story. The people in them—and the people left out—say a lot about our politics, culture, and consciousness. In the 20th century, it wasn’t uncommon for archivists to choose which artifacts made it into the official record based on what they thought defined our history. This means that a lot of people—especially queer people—were left out of the archives. Their lives were erased.But over the last few decades, historians are uncovering those queer lives. In this episode of MinneCulture, KFAI’s Kira Schukar takes us into the Minnesota Historical Society archives to share a story about love, letters, and resilience. Spanning almost 100 years, this narrative follows a first lady, a philanthropist, and the queer activists who wanted their story to be told.Support for MinneCulture on KFAI has been provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund. Season 7 of the MinneCulture podcast is edited and executive produced by Julie Censullo and hosted by John Gebretatose. Photo:Rose Cleveland and Evangeline Simpson Whipple:https://www.masshist.org/collection-guides/view/fap033 (https://www.masshist.org/collection-guides/view/fap033)Music Credits:Inamorata by Blue Dot SessionsGame Hens by Blue Dot SessionsMcCarthy by Blue Dot SessionsPalms Down by Blue Dot Sessions

Today on MinneCulture, we’re headed all the way back to 1900, when Minneapolis was a very different place than it is now. As the mill capital of the world, Minneapolis was packed to the brim with seasonal workers, thriving brothels, and scheming card sharks. But to Mayor Albert Alonzo Ames, it was just a piggy bank waiting to be smashed open. Over the course of a year and a half, Ames turned the Minneapolis Police Department into the most powerful crime ring the city had ever seen. KFAI's Tony Williams has the story.Support for MinneCulture on KFAI has been provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund. Season 7 of the MinneCulture podcast is edited and executive produced by Julie Censullo and hosted by John Gebretatose. Special Thanks:Erik RivenesDeidre HammondAdam FrantiSam HillsJulie CensulloBibliography:The Shame of Minneapolis: The Ruin And Redemption of a City That Was Sold Out (1903)Lincoln SteffensIntroduction by Mark Neuzil, Ph.D. for Minnesota Legal History Project, 2011Proceedings of the Detroit Conference for Good City Government and the Ninth Annual Meeting of the National Municipal League (1903)William A. Frisbie, City Editor, Minneapolis JournalThe Minneapolis House-Cleaning (pp. 109 – 117)City Bosses in the United States; A Study of Twenty Municipal Bosses (1930)Harold ZinkMinneapolis in the Twentieth Century (2010)Iric NathansonChapter 2: The Shame of Minneapolis (pp. 66 – 106)Minneapolis Madams: The Lost History of Prostitution on the Riverfront (2013)Penny A. PetersenDirty Doc Ames and the Scandal that Shook Minneapolis (2018)Erik RivenesA.A. Ames (2022)Military History Wikihttps://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/A._A._Ames (https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/A._A._Ames)A.A. Ames (2022)Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._A._Ames (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._A._Ames)Ames, Albert Alonzo, “Doc, A.A.” (2022)Minnesota Legislative Reference Libraryhttps://www.lrl.mn.gov/legdb/fulldetail?id=10892 (https://www.lrl.mn.gov/legdb/fulldetail?id=10892)Music Sources:

The history of the Animal Humane Society offers a jaw-dropping glimpse into Minneapolis life in the late 1800s. This was a time when horses struggled to pull loads up Lowry Hill and dogs at the pound were drowned in the Mississippi River. As part of a national movement, the humane society formed to prosecute cruelty to animals — and they prosecuted cruelty to children too. Investigating hundreds of cases, humane agents became the state’s first social workers and probation officers. This story traces Minnesota’s relationship to animals, from the workhorse era to the pandemic-puppy era. Produced by Michelle Bruch.Season 7 of the MinneCulture podcast is edited and executive produced by Julie Censullo and hosted by John Gebretatose. Support for MinneCulture on KFAI has been provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund. Historic photos courtesy of the Animal Humane Society; Music “Lissa” by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue).

Ta-Coumba Aiken and Seitu Jones are two Twin Cities based artists that have international reputations. Forty years ago, the two were part of the vibrant African American Cultural Center, a place where Black Art was being nurtured, rediscovered, and celebrated. In today's episode, Sheila Regan explores the Center's history and it's legacy.Support for MinneCulture on KFAI has been provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund. Season 7 of the MinneCulture podcast is edited and executive produced by Julie Censullo and hosted by John Gebretatose.