{"id":2869,"date":"2010-09-02T17:26:00","date_gmt":"2010-09-02T22:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/minnesotahistory.net\/mhnetfix?p=2869"},"modified":"2010-09-03T09:12:56","modified_gmt":"2010-09-03T14:12:56","slug":"take-1862-please","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.minnesotahistory.net\/staging\/?p=2869","title":{"rendered":"Take 1862, please"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Minnesota Historical Society is looking for someone to take on the problem of 1862 and its 150th anniversary. The job will remain open until filled, that is until someone is found who is willing to plunge into this\u00a0 thorny topic. For anyone who is not familiar with 1862, it may be hard to imagine how difficult it will be to find someone who is willing to do this, and even more,\u00a0 someone capable of taking on the job and making it successful.<\/p>\n

First of all 1862<\/em> refers to the events known by various names relating to conflicts between Dakota people and white people starting in Minnesota in August 1862, and all that flowed from those events. In the job announcement the Historical Society has chosen to call these events the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, though they did not start or end in 1862. The year 2012 happens to be the 150th anniversary of 1862.<\/p>\n

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A monument in Mankato, MN, one of many remnants and reminders of the events of 1862 and that attitudes that survived in the years after. Minnesota Historical Society photo, probably taken with a camera belonging to the photographer Monroe Killy, who is pictured in the photo, around 1930.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Remembering 1862 and what happened then, before or after, would be difficult enough, but it is made more difficult by the role that the Minnesota Historical Society–in an overall, \u00a0institutional way–has chosen to play in the Minnesota of the last twenty years. The Historical Society has tried to be a bringer of good news, an institution that puts on entertainment, rather than one that deals with serious historical issues. Unfortunately there is little in the way of good news about 1862. There was no good news in 1862 and there has been no good news about 1862 in the years since then.\u00a0There is a great deal about 1862 that was tragic for all concerned. To deal with 1862 requires a sense of the tragedy involved. \u00a0Can the Minnesota Historical Society handle tragedy?<\/p>\n

It is clear that the Historical Society would like to hire a Dakota person to do this job. And while the Historical Society is on the verge of the possibility of change, now that its director Nina Archabal has retired, it is not clear that the Historical Society is willing to deal with 1862 in a serious way. Is there a Dakota person who is ready to be a mediator between an institution designed to entertain a large public and a Dakota community in which there are many points of view about 1862, but in which there are few that view 1862 as a source of entertainment? It would be a difficult, thankless job.<\/p>\n

Perhaps it is a job that can be done. But it requires a lot of soul-searching in the halls of the Historical Society before one can imagine it being successful. There is of course a lot more to say, and there are two more years in which to say it. And maybe there is someone who can make a difference. If so, that person, would be making a great contribution not only to the Minnesota Historical Society, but to the state and the people of Minnesota. And that person would probably deserve a lot more than the money offered in this job announcement.<\/p>\n

Minnesota Historical Society<\/strong><\/p>\n

Job Announcement<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Minnesota Historical Society’s External Relations division seeks applicants for a Program Specialist, 1862 position to assist the Deputy Director in planning, funding, coordination, and promotion throughout Minnesota related to the observance of the Sesquicentennial of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862.\u00a0 This is a full-time, project position (2088 annual hours) located at the History Center in St. Paul, MN working through June 30, 2011.\u00a0 Renewal dependent upon available funding and program need.<\/p>\n

Summary of Work:<\/strong> Responsibilities include: 1) oversee the work of the managers of U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 projects and partnerships; 2) monitor U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 budgets; 3) monitor and facilitate the work of other managers with external partners; 4) coordinate the work of project managers, the Marketing & Communications Department, and the Director of Public Policy & Community Relations; 5) work with the Deputy Directors and U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 project managers ; and 6) provide work direction to assigned staff.<\/p>\n

Minimum Qualifications:<\/strong><\/p>\n