April 3, 2002 - MPR's Brandt Williams looks at the life of Minnesota civil rights pioneer Nellie Stone Johnson, who passed away on April 2nd, 2002. Johnson spent the majority of her life fighting for social causes, especially those focused on the rights of labor unions, African Americans, and women. Those who knew her say that her activism was a testament to her passion for equality.
April 23, 2002 -
May 23, 2002 - An All Things Considered/Mainstreet Radio profile of author and poet BIll Holm, his small home town Minneota, and literary history of nearby Marshall. Program includes interview with Holm, various readings performed by MPR staff, and musical elements.
June 7, 2002 - The June edition of MPR's Voices of Minnesota series, featuring Alexander Braginsky of the ePiano competition, and St. Olaf Choir Director Anton Armstrong. MPR’s Dan Olson presents profiles and interviews of the two artists.
June 12, 2002 - MPR's Laura McCallum reports that Minnesota Republicans will be endorsing a candidate for governor and the race is a close one between entrepreneur Brian Sullivan and legislative leader Tim Pawlenty. Sullivan holds a slight lead in the party's non-binding straw polls of delegates.
September 25, 2002 - Mainstreet Radio's Tim Post profiles Jane Gray Swisshelm, a St. Cloud newspaper editor of the 1850s-1860s with strong opinions. She used her position to fight against slavery and for advancement of women's rights…but while she wrote articles advocating more freedom for some, she also pushed horribly racist views toward Native Americans, such as the complete extermination of the state's Dakota Indian population.
October 22, 2002 - As part of a series on special education, MPR’s Tim Pugmire profiles fourth grader Sam Graves, who has cerebral palsy and participant of the IDEA mandate.
February 21, 2003 - MPR’s Chris Julin caught up with Haley Bonar in Duluth. The 19-year-old quit college to write songs and is preparing for CD release and national tour. Julin interviews Bonar about the dark subject matter of her songs. Bonar also performs during segment.
April 8, 2003 - Mainstreet Radio's Erin Galbally profiles Somali singer Hibo Mohamed Nuur. The Somali superstar is unrecognized by most people in her new home in Rochester. For decades, Nuur's legendary voice drew thousands to concerts from Mogadishu to Toronto. Fans still call her the “James Brown” of Somali music. Nuur is hopeful she'll sing again in Somalia.
May 2, 2003 - MPR’s Dan Olson profiles the music known as Mariachi, and one of Minnesota's best-known Mariachi bands, Mariachi Flor y Canto, as they prepare to perform in the state's biggest Cinco de Mayo celebration on St. Paul's West Side.