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.
October 25, 2012 - Minnesotans are involved in a passionate debate about marriage during 2012 election season. The two sides began squaring off more than 40 years ago. This project draws from MPR's extensive audio archive to explore the origins of this election day showdown over same-sex marriage.
November 5, 2012 - MPR’s Tim Pugmire reports on the Minnesota Voter Identification Amendment that is on 2012 ballot. Report includes commentary from both proponents and opponents of amendment.
November 7, 2012 - MPR’s Laura Yuen reports on Minnesotans rejection of a proposed constitutional amendment that would have made marriage only between a man and a woman. It also made the state the only one in the nation to defeat a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
November 9, 2012 - All Things Considered presents MPR’s Sasha Aslanian report on how the Minnesotans United for All Families campaign brought down a seemingly unbeatable amendment that would have added a definition to the state constitution that marriage is only between a man and a woman (which is already state law). The defeat of the marriage amendment was a victory that was surprising, historic, and extremely calculated by gay rights supporters.
December 1, 2012 - MPR’s Rupa Shenoy looks at what’s next in efforts to bring about same-sex marriage legislation in Minnesota. Shenoy collects various commentary from numerous activists and politicians.
December 12, 2012 - MPR’s Brandt Williams talks with U.S. Marshal Sharon Lubinski, the first openly gay Minneapolis police officer; and Lt. Rob Allen, the first openly gay male Minneapolis police officer, about the change in culture over gay and lesbians within the police department since they came out in the 1990s.
May 10, 2013 - MPR’s Tom Scheck looks at the quick turnaround in political efforts on same-sex marriage. Just two years prior, Republicans, who then controlled the Legislature, thought it would help them politically to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would ban same-sex marriage. That failed on the ballot, and now with a push from Democrat legislators, an amendment allowing same-sex marriage is poised to become law.
May 13, 2013 - MPR’s Tim Pugmire reports on the Minnesota Senate passage of bill legalizing same-sex marriage in the state by a vote of 37-30, after more than four hours of debate. Only one Republican joined Democrats on the prevailing side, and three DFLers opposed the bill.
May 14, 2013 - All Thing’s Considered live coverage of Governor Mark Dayton signing a bill making gay marriage legal in Minnesota. It makes Minnesota the 12th state to take the step. MPR’s Tom Scheck describes the scene, as thousands of onlookers cheer.
May 22, 2013 - MPR’s Sasha Aslanian profiles Richard Carlbom, campaign manager for Minnesotans United for All Families. Carlbom led organization to two historic victories: the defeat of a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage last November, and the recent passage of the same-sex marriage bill.