Minnesota Historical Society

The Minnesota Historical Society will digitize and make available oral histories of recent Tibetan, Hmong, Somali, Indian, and Khmer immigrants. This rich collection will represent a unique source of contemporary history through the experiences of the newest Americans, in their own words. The Society will work with the communities, local school systems, and the Immigration History Research Center at the University of Minnesota to develop complementary resources and curriculum packets that will enhance the value of the collections to researchers, K-12 teachers, and the immigrant communities themselves. The project will develop a successful model for institutions to make their collections more useful through collaboration with their audiences and the application of technology. Through these activities, they will extend the reach of the collections to a broader audience, support community building, and sustain cultural identity.