Main Street

pstrongThursday, December 27 – /strong2018 was a big year for Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL quarterback who spearheaded the 2016 protests against racial injustice. He has a new ad deal with Nike, resulting in record-setting sales. The protests, and how we talk about race, inspired Anastasia Higginbotham to write “Not My Idea: A Book about Whiteness,” a kids book about racial privilege and injustice. She spoke with Ashley Thornberg this fall. ~~~ Tom Isern shares a Plains Folk essay, 

Wednesday, December 26 – Senator-Elect Kevin Cramer (R-ND), joins John Harris on this week’s Prairie Pulse television show to talk about his goals once he takes office in January. ~~~ Today is the first day of Kwanzaa. The Afrocentric holiday has been celebrated for more than 50 years, but in a story from NPR’s Farai Chideya, we learn that some young African Americans still know nothing about Kwanzaa. ~~~ From this summer’s TEDxFargo, we hear from Sadiyo Hassan, who started her own tech company

It's Christmas and we're studying the emotional intelligence of Jesus as we reair a conversation with Arland Jacobson, the former director of the ecumenical center at Concordia College. ~~~ We follow that up with rearing a conversation with Ruth Magnusson Davis, the author of “The Story of the Matthew Bible: That Which We First Received.” She says the Matthew Bible is the best kept secret in Christendom and the Roman Catholic Church fought against it. Harsh laws made translating the Bible

The holidays are a time of homecoming. We celebrate North Dakota's offerings this Christmas Eve with a look at the history, the landscape, and one of its favorite sons. We start with historian Tom Isern, reairing a conversation from August about his latest book, Pacing Dakota. ~~~ From the Badlands, to long stretches of highway, the landscape has a lot to say if you're willing to listen. We revisit a conversation from March with Diego Rodriguez and Matthew Lorenz. These UND students collaborated

Friday, December 21 – The State Historical Society of North Dakota has published “Traces: Early Peoples of North Dakota.” Joining us are authors Barbara Handy-Marchello and Fern Swenson. ~~~ Mark Trahant comments on the Department of the Interior and outgoing secretary Ryan Zinke. ~~~ Our weekly news chat with Dave Thompson. ~~~ Matt Olien reviews “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”

Thursday, December 20 – We think of doulas for pregnancy and childbirth, but doulas can also assist during another major transition: death. Joining us are Andrea Krejci Paradis and Cynthia Hanson. They host monthly conversations on end-of-life care and have helped usher dying people and their families through the process. ~~~ Chuck Lura shares a Natural North Dakota essay on boxelder trees. ~~~ Sue Balcom of the Root Sellers farm near Mandan offers some gift ideas for foodies in today’s Main

Wednesday, December 19 The National Film Registry Board and Library of Congress have announced the 2018 additions to the National Film Registry. Here to discuss the choices are Matt Olien, Prairie Publics movie critic, and Tom Brandau, film professor from Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Tuesday, December 18 – The higher education system in North Dakota might soon go through some organizational changes. Here to discuss the proposal is Don Morton, chair of the State Board of Higher Education. He says they’re in the process of finalizing the plan. ~~~ Using trees to study flooding? It’s called a paleohydrological assessment. It allows researchers to learn about ancient floods – way before any written records. A new grant will allow researchers to study the history of flooding

Monday, December 17 – Clay Routledge is a professor and psychological scientist at NDSU. His new book is titled “Supernatural: Death, Meaning and the Power of the Invisible World.” He joins us to discuss how humanity’s quest for transcendent meaning is on reason we’re drawn to supernatural beliefs. ~~~ NDSU history professor Tom Isern shares another Plains Folk essay, continuing his reflections on becoming an American, drawing upon his address at a recent naturalization ceremony. Today’s essay

Friday, December 14 – The North Star Chapter of Germans from Russia has published a second anthology of member memories. “Watermelons and Thistles” features 35 essays and poems about growing up as Germans from Russia, and it’s available from the Germans From Russia Heritage Collection at NDSU. Joining us to discuss the project is Carol Just. ~~~ Chuck Lura shares a Natural North Dakota essay about the common carp. ~~~ News director Dave Thompson joins us for our weekly discussion of the