Minneapolis in the 20th Century

Today, Minneapolis is considered one of the most desirable places to live in the United States. However, like most cities, Minneapolis has its own chequered history. Iric Nathanson shines a light in dark corners of the city's past, exploring corruption that existed between the police department and city hall, brutal suppression of Depression-era unions, and reports on anti-Semitism at mid-century. Still other subjects that on the surface seem disparaging offer the city's residents as opportunity to shine. Community leaders make a difference during the 'long hot summer' of 1967, when racial violence exploded across the country. Concerned neighbours guide transportation policy from more and bigger highways to forward-looking light rail transit. A forgotten riverfront is transformed into a magnet for people wishing to live and play at the site of the city's earliest successes. Nathanson skilfully tells these stories and more, always with an eye toward how noteworthy characters, plotlines, and scenes helped create the Minneapolis we know today.