MPR News Features are news segments created for various long-form programming, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered, amongst others. Features run the gambit of interviews, reports, profiles, and coverage.
December 28, 1972 -
January 11, 1973 - MPR’s Hugh Morgan interviews author and historian on his book Indian Wars. Morgan also talks about Bureau of Indian Affairs and American Indian Movement.
February 7, 1973 - MPR’s Marvin Granger interviews Native American advocate Ada Deer about Native American struggles, rights, and the confrontational actions taken to draw attention to broken treaties.
February 9, 1973 - MPR’s Connie Goldman reports on the Minnesota Ensemble Theater production of “Biedermann and the Firebugs.” Goldman talks with audience members about their reaction to play.
March 13, 1973 - On this First Edition program, a discussion with sociologist and writer Greg Stone about the sport and "drama" of professional wrestling, especially in the Twin Cities.
March 14, 1973 -
March 20, 1973 - Speaker talks about the effect of a proposed bill on gun control. He is concerned about red tape and procedures that would deny firearms to the disadvantaged. it would be impossible for the poor, the black, the Indians, the Chicanos to comply with them. This is substantive denial of due process of law. He talks about scenarios, asking what are the chances a sheriff at Cass Lake or Wounded Knee will give a gun to an Indian? The speaker cites Hubert Humphrey, who said one of the chief guarantees of freedom under any government, no matter how popular and respected, is the right of the citizens to keep and bear arms. The speaker adds this is not to say firearms shouldn't be very carefully used. However, the right to bear arms is one safeguard against arbitrary government, against the tryanny which now appears remote now but has always been possible. For example, the Japanese Americans on the West Coast during WWII were stripped of their property and put in concentration camps. That was 30 years ago, more or less. It can happen; this bill makes it possible. Speaker is possibly Clyde Bellecourt, but is unknown for certain.
March 22, 1973 - The movie “Harold and Maude” has played to packed houses for a year at one local theater. Though the film lasted one to two weeks in other cities, in Minneapolis, the film is running strong. A birthday party was held at the theater with star of the movie, Ruth Gordon.
April 27, 1973 - MPR’s Connie Goldman visits Minnesota Opera Company, as it rehearses for world premiere of opera "Transformations.” The opera is commissioned from Conrad Sousa based on Ann Sexton's book of poetry based on Grimm's fairy tales. The work is more significant than most contemporary opera. It’s working with a new form, and the poetry is a higher level than most opera librettos, as the words are a more important part.
May 4, 1973 - An interview with Minnesota writers Patricia Hampl and James Moore, who edit the literary magazine The Lamp in the Spine. Publication is primarily a poetry magazine, but also include essays on political and social interest.