>> CATHY: A NEW EXHIBIT AT HISTORIC FORT SNELLING ENTITLED, "MANY VOICES, MANY STORIES, ONE PLACE" OPENS TO THE PUBLIC ON SATURDAY.

IT LOOKS TO EXPLORE A COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE SITE WITH MORE DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES, INCLUDING OJIBWE AND DAKOTA PEOPLE'S HISTORY AT FORT SNELLING AND WHAT IS KNOWN AS BDOTE.

AMBER ANNIS IS THE DIRECTOR OF NATIVE AMERICAN INITIATIVES AT M.H.S.

IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

WELCOME.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>> Cathy: THIS IS QUITE THE EXHIBIT.

EXPLAIN JUST BASICALLY WHAT IT'D ALL ABOUT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE EXHIBIT REALLY STARTS, YOU KNOW, ABOUT 12,000 YEARS AGO.

[ Laughter ] THE HISTORIC FORT SNELLING, MANY VOICES, MANY STORES, ONE PLACE, TELLS A REALLY ROBUST STORY OF OF ONE OF MINNESOTA'S OLDEST NATIONAL LANDMARKS ...

BUT IT'S ALSO A REALLY COMPLICATED HISTORY THERE.

IT'S A SACRED SITE OF CREATION FOR DAKOTA PEOPLE, BUT ALSO STATEMENT, IT IS A SITE OF HARM AND TRAUMA DURING THE US-DAKOTA WAR.

HOWEVER, IT'S A REALLY PROFOUND MILITARY STORY THERE, MILITARY HISTORY, WHICH INCLUDES IN A CASIVE VOICES, AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOICES, JAPANESE AMERICAN VOICES.

SO THAT'S THE DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES THAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT.

>> Cathy: BOY, I AM BETTING THAT YOU PROBABLY HAD TO REALLY CHECK IN WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT GROUPS ABOUT HOW BEST TO DO THIS.

WHAT IS THE PROPER WAY TO PRESENT THE HISTORY?

>> ABSOLUTELY, YEAH, THIS EXHIBIT IS SEVERAL YEARS IN THE MAKING.

WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH SEVERAL PARTNERS.

WE HAVE A DAKOTA COMMUNITY COUNCIL.

WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE JAPANESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY CITIZEN LEAGUE, FORGIVE ME, CITIZEN LEAGUE.

AND OTHER, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS AROUND MINNESOTA, TRIBAL LEADERS.

YOU KNOW, DIP EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEE MATS, FOLKS THAT HAVE A REAL INVESTMENT IN MINNESOTA.

WHERE DO WE START?

>> Eric: WERE THERE PERIODS OF DISAGREEMENT?

AND HOW DID YOU -- IF THERE WERE, HOW DID YOU NEGOTIATE THEM OUT?

>> ABSOLUTELY, IT'S PUBLIC HISTORY.

THERE'S ALWAYS DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.

AND SO THAT'S HE STRUGGLE, BUT IT'S ALSO THE KIND OF BEAUTY OF THIS WORK IS THAT YOU CAN HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE.

YOU CAN DISAGREE.

BUT YOU ALSO CAN FIND THOSE SIMILARITIES AND HOW WE WANT TO LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER.

SO IT REALLY KIND OF STEMMED DOWN TO THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS.

>> Cathy: YOU KNOW, AMBER, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING TONIGHT SAYING, WAIT A MINUTE, NOW, IS THIS -- ARE WE REWRITING HISTORY BY HAVING SOMETHING LIKE THIS?

BECAUSE WE'VE ALWAYS -- MANY OF US HAVE JUST KNOWN THE FOR FORT AS FORT SNELLING AND YOU GO OUT THERE ON MEMORIAL DAY OR 4TH OF JU.D.

JULY?

WHAT ABOUT THOSE CRITICS?

>> I WELCOME THEM TO COME DOWN AND VEX THE EXHIBIT, VIEW ORT SNELLING, BECAUSE IT'S NOT RECRAIG HISTORY.

IT REALLY IS ENHANCING HISTORY.

IT'S ENHANCING THE POWER THAT THAT SITE HAS.

IT'S ENHANCING THE STORIES THAT ARE TOLD THERE.

IT IS A STRONG MILITARY STORY.

IT'S A STRONG SITE OF PRIDE AND DIPLOMACY.

BUT AGAIN, ANOTHER PART OF THAT IS A REALLY CONTESTED HISTORY.

SO FOR US, AT THE MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, WE ARE COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE TELLING THOSE OTHER STORIES.

>> Eric: SO WHEN PEOPLE GO OUT THERE, AND AS THEY'RE LEAVING, WHAT DO THEY TAKE WITH THEM, DO YOU THINK?

VISITORS?

>> WELL, I HOPE FIRST THEY TAKE WITH THEM, I HAVE TO GO BACK.

BECAUSE IT IS A PLACE WHERE YOU DEFINITELY -- YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO -- YOU'LL NEED A COUPLE TRIPS O REALLY ABSORB IT ALL.

BUT MY HOPE AND GOAL AND WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE, TODAY INCLUDED, SOMEONE CAME THERE SAYING, I DIDN'T WANT TO COME THIS MORNING BECAUSE IT WAS THE MILITARY FORT.

I HAD NO IDEA THESE STORIES EXISTED THERE.

AND I FEEL SO BETTER AS A CITIZEN OF MINNESOTA KNOWING THESE STORIES NOW.

>> Eric: THAT'S A SUCCESS IN AND OF ITSELF.

>> IT REALLY CERTAINLY WAS ON A RAINY FRIDAY MORNING.

>> Cathy: THIS IS A NEW EXHIBIT.

BUT DOES THE FORT ALSO HAVE OTHER EXHIBITS YOU'RE GOING TO BE PLACING THERE TO JUST TO REALLY COLOR IN THE HISTORY IN A SENSE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO THIS NEW EXHIBIT THAT OPENED UP REALLY KIND OF TIES TOGETHER A LOT OF OTHER REVITALIZATION WORK HAT WE'VE DONE.

IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE OLD FORT, AND YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, AND YOU ARRIVE NOW, AND WE'VE REVITALIZED THE LANDSCAPE.

WE REALLY TURNED TO THE ENVIRONMENT TO HELP US TELL THESE STORIES, SO WE HAVE INTERPRETIVE PIECES OUT THERE.

WE HAVE INTERPRETIVE ART PIECES.

WE ARE GETTING READY TO DO SOME MORE PUBLIC ART PIECES AROUND, YOU KNOW, OUT IN FORT SNELLING.

>> Eric: CAN'T WAIT TO GO.

>> OH, WE RE SO EXCITED.

CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE YOU OUT THERE.