Harry and Clementine Robinson were one of a handful of Black families who owned homes more than a century ago in what is now the whitest part of Minneapolis. When Star Tribune reporter Eric Roper moved into the same house where the Robinsons lived, he became determined to find out who they were and what happened to them. He spent nearly five years piecing together the Robinsons’ lives through genealogy records, old public documents, and fascinating tidbits from articles in local Black newspapers from the 1900s. He, with a team of other staff members and community members, wrote a series of articles published as a special insert in the Star Tribune. In addition, they created a six-episode podcast that takes listeners on an intimate journey into Minnesota’s past through the experiences of this one trailblazing couple.

Local puppeteer and historian, Jennings Mergenthal, has just completed an extensive research project focused on the history of puppetry in the Twin Cities, exploring where puppetry came from and why it has been so enduring. The local puppetry guild, the Twin Cities Puppeteers, will display historically significant puppets as well as photos and ephemera.