KAXE Programs - Our History

Aila Ivonen talks with Scott Hall about the history of Kaleva Hall, a temperance hall in Virginia built in 1906.

Brenda Child talks with Scott Hall about her new book, Holding Our World Together: Ojibwe Women and the Survival of Community. They discuss the pre-European and post-European Ojibwe culture, particularly as it relates to female roles in Ojibwe society.

Leech Lake Native American writer, David Treuer, has a new book, "Rez Life." The author of three novels and one collection of essays, "Rez Life" is his first full length work of non-fiction. In the book, Treuer addresses tough and controversial subjects like treaty rights and relations with non-Indians; and the corruption and shortcomings of tribal governments and leadership. He skillfully weaves valuable historical data into narratives that tie the large historical and legal issues he writes about to the lives of contemporary Indians living in Minnesota. Charlie Pulkrabek has an in depth conversation with Treuer at the Cass Lake Library.

Oliver and Gertie Juntenen and the History of Suomi:  It's not a town or township, but when Finnish-American families moved there 95 years ago it became a vibrant community that exists to this day.  Oliver and Gertie were born and raised there.  They met in grade school and still live on their family's original homestead.

Fifty years ago this month, President Dwight Eisenhower gave his farewell speech to the American people. Eisenhower talked about how, for the first time in our history, it was necessary to have a large and prepared military establishment; and, as a result of that, we should guard against "the acquisition of unwarranted influence... by the military-industrial complex." Eisenhower's chief speech writer at the time was a Minnesotan - Malcom Moos, a journalist, political scientist, and future president of the University of Minnesota. After leaving the White House in 1961, Moos built a cabin on Ten Mile Lake north of Hackensack. Last fall, two of Moos' children, Grant and Kathy, found 21 drafts of Ike's farewell address in the boathouse at the lake. The drafts were written by their father during the eight months before Eisenhower gave the speech. The drafts, memos and research materials contain notes from Eisenhower and his staff. The Moos' sent the notes to the Eisenhower Library in Abilene, Kansas. Grant Moos says he knew there were documents from his dad's years at the White House, but he didn't know they contained the drafts of the historic speech.

The Assassination of Hole In The Day: Author and Professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State, Anton Treuer, talks about his new book about the dynamic and controversial 19th century Ojibwe leader, Bagone-ghiizhig (a.k.a. Hole In The Day the Younger).