Collecting pieces of Minnesota's past for the future
About
The Minnesota Historical Society preserves and makes available a wide range of materials chronicling Minnesota's history and culture. The goals of the Collections Department are to collect and preserve; provide access and interpretation; and engage in education and outreach. This blog is a tool to share these stories and let people know what is happening in the department.
Nellie Stone Johnson
Happy Black History month!
Throughout the month in Item of the Day we will focus on various influential and inspirational African American women.
Nellie Stone Johnson was a prominent civil rights activist and union organizer, as well as the first African American elected official in Minneapolis. She opened and operated her own sewing and alterations shop in 1963; this is the electric/treadle sewing machine she used there. Good jobs was one of the issues she cared about most.
Learn more about her here.
https://www.mnhs.org/historycenter/activities/museum/votes-for-women/profiles/nellie-johnson