MPR Archive presents a selection of stories tied to various the aspects, history, and battles for civil rights of individuals and groups within the State of Minnesota.
May 22, 2011 - MPR’s Tim Nelson reports that after nearly six hours of emotional debate, a proposed constitutional amendment that would define marriage as between a man and a woman was approved in the Minnesota House. It was the last legislative step needed to put the question on the statewide ballot in November 2012.
August 23, 2011 - MPR’s Tom Weber reports that two lawsuits over the treatment of gay students in the Anoka-Hennepin School District offer something old and something new for legal observers.
September 20, 2011 - Gays and lesbians can now serve openly in the military. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," a policy that's been on the books since 1993 and nullified by Congress in December 2010, has officially ended. MPR’s Sasha Aslanian talks with a few service members about their experiences with the policy.
December 21, 2011 - MPR’s Sasha Aslanian talks with members of a Catholic family about their take on upcoming marriage amendment vote. Maureen Scallen, a lesbian in a long-term relationship, wonders whether the loyalty of her siblings will be tested by a proposed Minnesota constitutional amendment that would define marriage as only being between a man and woman.
February 14, 2012 - MPR’s Tom Weber reports that by a 5-1 margin, the Anoka-Hennepin school board voted to revoke its so-called 'neutrality policy,' which required teachers to remain neutral when issues of sexual orientation come up in the classroom.
April 11, 2012 - MPR’s Sasha Aslanian reports that faculty at William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul voted on a resolution to oppose the constitutional amendment that would define marriage as between one man and one woman, and prohibit same-sex couples from marrying.
May 4, 2012 - MPR’s Brandt Williams profiles a group of Minnesota parents as they reflect on the 40th anniversary of their efforts on school desegregation.
June 29, 2012 - As communities across Minnesota debate a constitutional amendment changing the state constitution to define marriage as only between a man and a woman, MPR’s Sasha Aslanian visits Hibbing to see how residents on the Iron Range are approaching the November ballot item.
August 2, 2012 - MPR’s Laura Yuen reports on a court ruling out of Hennepin County that recognizes a Minneapolis man as the legal heir and sole surviving spouse to his late partner. The order gives same-sex partners the right to inherit each other's assets, and it could open the door for other Minnesota gay and lesbian couples to access additional benefits of marriage.
September 14, 2012 - With two polls out showing that Minnesotans favor a proposed constitutional amendment that would make marriage only between a man and a woman, opponents of the measure are in the midst of a strategy they think will sway voters. A key component will be conversations with voters designed to elicit compassion for gays and lesbians.