One of 13 children, Henry Nelson was born in 1954 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. In 1975, he was a student living in Battambang. The Khmer Rouge came into town and captured his father who was a captain in the army. He is presumed to have been executed. Nelson and his remaining family members were sent out into the jungle with the rest of the village and made to work in work camps. He survived multiple attempts on his life before escaping to Thailand. Nelson worked with the Vietnamese and other groups as an interpreter. He came to the United States in 1982 and was eventually reunited with one sister in Minnesota.
Interview with former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice James H. Gilbert on his legal and judicial career. He was on the Minnesota Supreme Court from 1998 to 2004. Subjects covered: his early life, college years, his involvement in politics, his time on the Supreme Court, and his life after leaving the Court. Interviewed by attorney Tom Boyd and retired Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Paul H. Anderson.
Interview with former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice John J. Todd on his legal and judicial career. John J. Todd was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1972 and served until 1985. Subjects discussed: his childhood and family, his legal career, his experiences as a judge, and his life after the Supreme Court. Interviewed by Tom Boyd and Justice Paul Anderson at the studio of Minnesota Continuing Legal Education.
Interview with former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice John J. Todd on his legal and judicial career. John J. Todd was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1972 and served until 1985. Subjects discussed: his childhood and family, his legal career, and his experiences as a judge. Interviewed by John Brian at the Minnesota Judicial Center.
Interview with former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice John Simonett on his legal and judicial career. Simonett was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1981 and served until 1994. Subjects discussed: his education and family life, and his experiences as a judge. Interviewed by Tom Boyd and Paul Anderson at the studio of Minnesota Continuing Legal Education.
Interview with former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice John Simonett. He was on the Minnesota Supreme Court from 1980 until 1994. Subjects covered: his early life and education, practicing law, and being on the Supreme Court. The interview concludes with some clarifications of names and questions. Interviewed by his daughter, Judge Martha Simonett.
Interview with former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Sandy Keith as part of the Minnesota Supreme Court Historical Society's oral history project. Keith was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1989 and was Chief Justice from 1990 to 1998. Subjects discussed: His childhood in Rochester, Minnesota near the Mayo Clinic, and his mother's influence; his experiences at Amherst; race and the law; the selection of U.S. Supreme Court Justices; his experiences with family law; being in the Legislature; the creation of the Minnesota Court of Appeals; his experiences being on the Minnesota Supreme Court and the role of the courts.
Interview with former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Sandra Gardebring as part of the Minnesota Supreme Court Historical Society's oral history project. Gardebring was a justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court from 1991 to 1998. Subjects discussed: her childhood in North Dakota; her decision to attend law school; her entry into Minnesota state politics; her views on feminism; her experiences on the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Interview with Ka Zoua Kong-Thao in which she discusses her work with the St. Paul Board of Education, as founder and President of the Hmong Education and Resources Today organization and as Chief Operations office at the Hmong Community School of Excellence.
Khon Kong was a lieutenant in the army in Cambodia at the beginning of the Pol Pot regime in 1975. He had to leave behind his wife and five children who are believed to have been killed. He was sent to work camps in Battambang Province to work in rice fields and to take care of orphaned children. Kong had to lie about his prior service in the army to avoid being killed by the Khmer Rouge. After the fall of the Khmer Rouge, he was in the Khao I Dang refugee camp in Thailand and came to America in 1981. He came to Minnesota after living with a sponsor in Missouri and Texas to find a better job. He held factory jobs, then went to school and became a social worker.
Lar Munstock was born in Svay Rieng Province in Cambodia. She was a teacher living in Phnom Penh in 1975 when the Khmer Rouge came to power. Her three children were living with her ex-husband. She was sent to an education camp away from all of her family and was eventually reunited with them. They were moved around many times during the regime and tried to flee to Thailand but were sent back to Cambodia. She came to Minnesota in 1981.
Schroeder Area Historical Society, Schroeder, Minnesota
Date Created:
2007-09-07
Description:
The oral history of Larry Johnson, grandson of the John and Dorthia Morris pioneer family, describes his grandparent's homesteader life. Johnson describes the Alger Smith Railroad, 13 mile walks, trap lines and animal stories. This interview was conducted by Barbara Livdahl and videographer Judy Gregg of Schroeder Area Historical Society, Schroeder, Minnesota.
Interview with former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Lawrence Yetka. He was on the Minnesota Supreme Court from 1973 until 1993. Subjects covered: his father and some history of Cloquet, Minnesota politics in the 1920s-1930s, his time in the Legislature, his years on the Court, his life after leaving the Court, and more political history. Interviewed by attorney Tom Boyd and retired Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Paul H. Anderson.
Interview with former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Lawrence Yetka. He was on the Minnesota Supreme Court from 1973 until 1993. Subjects covered: his childhood, lawyers and public service, Hubert Humphrey, political history, and being on the Court. Interviewed by law professor Steve Young.
Loeung Bun grew up in Mongkol Borei and Battambang in Cambodia. Orphaned at 16, he taught himself to be a musician. He plays a number of Cambodian stringed instruments. He traveled with a band and was living in Sisophon with his family when the Khmer Rouge came to power in 1975. The family was separated and Loeung Bun's life was spared so he could play music in performances by the Khmer Rouge. Cambodians in the audience were often killed as part of the performances. From 1979 to December 1981, he lived in a number of Thai refugee camps, then he came to Minnesota. He describes being taken advantage of by sponsor and a landlord. His wife and two daughters currently live in the United States. His son still lives in Cambodia.
Interview with Mao Her in which she discusses her work as a registered nurse with Ramsey County Public Health. She also discusses the her work as the founder of the Hmong Professional Healthcare Coalition and as a TV and radio host.
Interview with former Minnesota Court of Appeals Judge Marianne D. Short on her life and her legal and judicial career. She was appointed to the Minnesota Court of Appeals in 1988, leaving in 2000 to return to private practice. The interview covers her family background, her experiences as a woman in law school, being in the attorney general's office, and being on the Court of Appeals.
Schroeder Area Historical Society, Schroeder, Minnesota
Date Created:
2008-09-30
Description:
The oral history of Maybelle Skou and Bev Johnson describes life in Schroeder, Minnesota, in the 1950s and 1960s including a root beer stand in Schroeder, Minnesota, teen dances, square dances, Vivian Johnson and Tord Johnson, accidents and drowning.
Interview with former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Maynard Pirsig on his legal and judicial career. Maynard Pirsig was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1942 and served for three months to finish the term of the late Justice Royal A. Stone. Subjects discussed: his legal career and his views on the role of the judiciary. Interviewed by Steve Young.
Monoram Hang was a nine-year-old living in Phnom Penh when the Khmer Rouge came to power in Cambodia. His father was a Commander in the Army and was killed almost immediately. His mother had given birth only two days before and the whole family was made to leave their home and walk out of the city about 50 kilometers into the jungle. They were split up and sent to different work camps. Hang describes the children's team and the conditions in the camp. In 1984 or 1985, his brother helped him cross into Thailand where he lived without permission in a refugee camp. He then received medical training and met his American sponsor, coming to Minnesota in 1988.
Schroeder Area Historical Society, Schroeder, Minnesota
Date Created:
2009-09-29
Description:
The oral history of Patti Nelson describes the childhood of a commercial fishing family on Isle Royale off the North Shore of Lake Superior, Minnesota. Nelson recalls family members Stanley Sivertson, Howard Sivertson, and Betty Sivertson. Nelson describes childhood games and childhood work. This interview was conducted by Barbara Livdahl and videographer Judy Gregg of Schroeder Area Historical Society, Schroeder, Minnesota.
Interview with former Minnesota Court of Appeals Judge Randolph Peterson on his life and his legal and judicial career. He was appointed to the Minnesota Court of Appeals in 1990 and retired in 2018. The interview covers his family background and education, law school, being in the state Senate, the creation of the Court of Appeals, and his experiences being on the Court of Appeals.
Interview with former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Sheran on his legal and judicial career. Sheran was first appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court as an Associate Justice in 1963 and served until 1970. He was reappointed to the Court as Chief Justice in 1973 and served until 1981. Subjects discussed: his education and experiences as a judge. Interviewed by Tim Baland at the Minnesota Judicial Center.
Interview with former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Wahl on her legal and judicial career. E. Wahl was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1977 and served until 1994. Subjects discussed: her childhood, family life and education, her early career, and her experiences as a judge. Interviewed by Laura Cooper in Justice Wahl's chambers.
