Vanishing History

Where is the diversity?

Does anything look out of place in this photo?

This is the EP Historical Society’s leadership. Where are the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) leaders?

There should be a significant place for an Indigenous person on this team, don’t you think? I mean the European settlers did steal the land from the Dakota. Wouldn’t you think they should have representation in the history of EP? Please see my article I wrote on my other newsletter on what really happened to the Shakopee Dakota - stuff you aren’t taught in school or historical societies. A trip to Hocokata Ti in Shakopee will open your eyes to the history as told by the Indigenous.

Has anyone noticed that the Eden Prairie Heritage Preservation Commission also has NO diversity?

The above listed HPC members are #1 ALL MEN and #2 ALL WHITE. Why are we appointing only white men to set the tone of Eden Prairie’s heritage? Shouldn’t we have some women on that commission? Shouldn’t we also have a Dakota community member as well? Or a person of color? There WERE slave owners here in Minnesota in the 1800’s. Why isn’t someone from that part of our community represented on the HPC or the Historical Society? Also a very historic lawsuit, Dred Scott v. Sandford, happened just across the river and are we to think no one in Eden Prairie had slaves? Not only were the Dakota ripped from their land and placed in a less habitable area, they were also made fun of and mocked by the settlers for a very long time. There were sent to ‘re-education’ camps to become more ‘civilized.’

Preserving heritage should have the same diversity as every other commission. Right?

Also I find it interesting that EP’s history (per the Historical Society) doesn’t go back much further than 1852. But people were here before that. Why isn’t that history being told?

And if all white men and women are in charge of preserving the history of Eden Prairie, how are we sure that the other people inhabiting this area are being represented properly?

And, by the way, the scathing post from a man on Nextdoor that I wrote about in “Someone just called me a liberal,” is one of the members of the EP Historical Society. Why isn’t he shouting about getting people of color in on the HPC? Especially the Indigenous. They should have representation since they were here before the European settlers. Maybe it wasn’t technically ‘Eden Prairie’ then, but it is part of the history.

(Photo taken by Charles DeForest Fredericks)

Lastly, let’s address why our Historical Society and HPC aren’t standing up for preserving a possible Indigenous burial ground on the bluff where Noble Hill is supposed to be. Noble Hill - interesting name isn’t it? The ‘nobles’ of Eden Prairie gathered on the hill to watch the Dakota and Ojibwa slaughter each other on that very site. Why in the world would they choose to use that name?

I’m sure the people on both the HPC and the Historical Society are good people and don’t mean any harm by not having more diversity in their group. My hope is that when you go to look at who is leading all these unelected branches of government, you decide if you are happy with how they conduct business, or not.

If the answer is no, then please consider voting for the alternative choice…Me. Thank you.