Minnesota Historical Society. Minnesota Radicalism Project.

The Minnesota Radicalism Project (MRP) operated under the auspices of the Minnesota Historical Society from 1986 to 1989 and culminated in the publication of a bibliography, Radicalism in Minnesota, 1900-1960 ; a survey of Minnesota Historical Society holdings, The Radical Press in Minnesota, 1900-1960 ; and a symposium, Voices of Dissent: The Minnesota Radical Press, 1910-1920, An Open Forum . A pamphlet describing the project states that it was "an opportunity to focus on an important subject that has been neglected by historians and needs to be better represented in the collections of the MHS and other research centers." The goals of the project were to conduct oral history interviews with "participants in radical organizations and movements"; to document primary resources related to Minnesota radicalism, such as leaflets, photographs, periodicals, books, etc.; to encourage research, discussion, and publication on the topic; and to create a bibliographic database. To those ends, the project would "gather information on the origins, social and ethnic background ideologies, ambiance and culture of these radical movements as they relate to the issues and political atmosphere of the times," with emphasis on the Depression, labor organization, and World War II and its effects up to 1960. Participation by scholars, laypersons, and historical and educational institutions was encouraged.

The MRP was first proposed by Carl Ross, in a memo sent to Russell Fridley, Nina Archabal (respectively, director and assistant director of the Minnesota Historical Society), and Hyman Berman (professor of labor history at the University of Minnesota) in December 1985, according to a proposal draft submitted by Ross on October 24, 1986. This draft also states that the project was to be a "three year program to research and document more thoroughly the history of radicalism in Minnesota during the Twentieth Century." Ross explained that radicalism would be "defined in broad inclusive terms embracing the full spectrum of the 'left wing' in the labor, farmer, ethnic, and political movements and, for that matter, in the arts and cultural milieu within the state."

Carl Ross, a radical himself as well as a self-taught scholar, continued to be the driving force behind the project as its director. A part time research associate/project coordinator was also hired. Working with Deborah L. Miller, the project supervisor for the Minnesota Historical Society, and an advisory committee composed of MHS staff, a project steering committee was established and project associates ("individuals from various disciplines and institutions, independent scholars, and non-academic scholars or resource persons") were recruited. The symposium, Voices of Dissent, was held May 20, 1989, at the Landmark Center in St. Paul. The Radical Press in Minnesota, 1900-1960, the typescript survey of Minnesota Historical Society holdings, was finished in 1989, and the bibliography, Radicalism in Minnesota, 1990-1960, was published in 1994 by the Minnesota Historical Society Press.

Historical information on the Minnesota Radicalism Project was taken from the project's brochure, the introduction to Radicalism in Minnesota, 1900-1960, and from the collection.

From the guide to the Radicalism Project records., 1985-1993., (Minnesota Historical Society)