The 150th Anniversary of the Dakota War in Minnesota

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This past August marked the 150th anniversary of the start of the U.S. Dakota War. The federal expulsion from Minnesota, their homeland, is still on the books. So today, four Dakota communities are dotted across southern Minnesota.

Growing up in Mankato, Minnesota, John Biewen heard next to nothing about the town’s most important historical event. In 1862, Mankato was the site of the largest mass execution in U.S. history – the hanging of 38 Dakota warriors – following one of the major wars between Plains Indians and settlers. In this documentary, originally produced for This American Life, John goes back to Minnesota to explore what happened, and why Minnesotans didn’t talk about it afterwards.

Image: The Minnesota State Seal, 1858

Key sources for this episode:

Gwen Westerman, Mni Sota MakoceMary Wingerd, North Country: The Making of Minnesota