Minnesota Public Radio was founded in 1967 by Bill Kling and Colman Barry, president of St. John's University in Collegeville, Minn. After the first station, KSJR 90.1-FM, went on the air, Kling began building a statewide network. Here's a sampling of some early recordings found in the MPR Archive.
February 12, 1973 - Founders of The Women Poets of the Twin Cities give voice to their poetry in a program dedicated to the anniversary of the birthday of women's rights leader Susan B. Anthony.
March 13, 1973 - A discussion with sociologist and writer Greg Stone about the sport and "drama" of professional wrestling, especially in the Twin Cities.
May 4, 1973 - An interview with Minnesota writers Patricia Hampl and James Moore, who edit a literary magazine "The Lamp in the Spine." Publication is primarily a poetry magazine, but also include essays on political and social interest.
May 29, 1973 - MPR’s Connie Goldman Interviews Peter Mass, author of "The Valachi Papers" and "Serpico: The Cop Who Defied the System." This recording was made available through a grant from the National Historical Publications & Records Commission.
June 10, 1973 - Part six of the MER documentary series, A Sense of Place. Program is titled “All the News that's Fit” and is a study of how journalism influenced regional feeling as the state grew.
June 17, 1973 - Part seven of the MER documentary series, A Sense of Place. Program is titled “More Than One Wilderness” and profiles living in Minnesota, from city to cabin.
June 21, 1973 - MPR’s Bill Siemering interviews poet Mark Vinz, editor of Dakota Territory. The interview is broken into three segments. Vinz talks about the use of regionalism in writing, young writers, and conflict/war. Vinz also reads numerous poems.
July 8, 1973 - Part ten of the MER documentary series, A Sense of Place. Program is titled “Water: Words and Music.” Program profiles a meeting on June 15, 1973 regarding asbestos fibers found in Lake Superior.
September 1, 1973 - Minnesota poet Robert Bly lectures about the importance of reading poetry aloud, starting with Homer, and feeling poetry vs. knowing it.
September 6, 1973 - Poet Jim Moore compares Walt Whitman's "The Role of the Poet" with the poetry of Tom McGrath, specifically the "Letter to an Imaginary Friend." Moore reads aloud from both poems.