Lunchbox History – Language, Loyalty, and the Minnesota Commission of Public Safety

Lunchbox History presents “Language, Loyalty, and the Minnesota Commission of Public Safety” with local historian Paul Spyhalski.

Are you curious about how language & loyalty were used with the Public Safety Commission? 

As the country careened toward World War I, the ability and desire to speak any language other than English, mainly German, was regarded by some as a sign of potential disloyalty to the United States. Mr. Spyhalski examines a brief history of the changing criteria for admission into the country and for becoming a citizen, which eventually equates the ability to speak English with citizenship.

The presentation also takes a look at how the Minnesota Commission of Public Safety engaged in secret surveillance, intimidation, and other extreme tactics to promote its vision of “Americanism” while attacking anything less as evidence of disloyalty including one’s immigrant status or the use of German in public meetings, newspapers, schools and pulpits to illustrate why companies may have opted to de-emphasize its Germanic background in the World War I era.

This FREE event, sponsored by the Mower County Historical Society, will be in the Pioneer Building. Everyone is invited to “Bring your lunch AND bring a friend,” to learn about history in a relaxing environment during the middle of the day. Doors open at 11:30am.