Hubert Humphrey’s Legacy in Minneapolis

Author Samuel G. Freedman and former Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak will discuss Hubert Humphrey’s enduring legacy in Minneapolis at a very special event at the museum on Wednesday, March 6. Freedman’s newest book Into the Bright Sunshine: Young Hubert Humphrey and the Fight for Civil Rights provides fresh perspectives on Humphrey’s early political life and of Minneapolis, the city where he got his start. Rybak, the 46th mayor of Minneapolis who served in that role from 2002 to 2014, offers a viewpoint on Humphrey’s impact on the city from the lens of a fellow mayor. 

Freedman and Rybak will share their insights about Humphrey’s era and how the racial politics in Minneapolis sharped his subsequent political career. They will also discuss his legacy into the 21st century against the backdrop of the murder of George Floyd and its impact not only on Minneapolis, but the nation as a whole.

Samuel G. Freedman is an award-winning author, journalist, and educator. He has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award and has won the National Jewish Book Award and the New York Public Library’s Helen Bernstein Award. His columns for the New York Times about education and religion have received national prizes. He is a professor at Columbia University, and has been named the nation’s Outstanding Journalism Educator by the Society of Professional Journalists.

R.T. Rybak served three terms as mayor of Minneapolis from 2002-2013 and is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Minneapolis Foundation. A native son of Minneapolis, Rybak attended Breck School, receiving its Distinguished Alumnus award in 2002. Prior to elective office, he forged a career in the Twin Cities in journalism, fundraising, and community and political activism.