Following the Vietnam War, approximately 750,000 refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos resettled in the United States, including in Central Minnesota. Lutheran Social Service and Catholic Charities were two organizations in the state that organized resettlement efforts, with The Resettlement Office of Catholic Charities in charge of such efforts in the St. Cloud Diocese.
Fleeing the horrors of war, these Southeast Asian refugees survived perilous and uncertain journeys to a new country, where they had to start their lives over from scratch.
As part of the Central Minnesota Remembers Vietnam project, the Morrison County Historical Society is hosting a discussion related to the refugee experience on Saturday, June 23, 2018. Those attending the event will read a portion of the book “Quiet As They Come” by Angie Chau and take part in a facilitated discussion of the text.
This event will be held from 10 a.m. until noon at The Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Memorial Museum in Little Falls, MN. It is free and open to the public.
Central Minnesota Remembers Vietnam, a project whose partners include the Morrison County Historical Society, Charles A. Lindbergh Home and Museum, and Minnesota Military Museum, is part of Minnesota Remembers Vietnam, an initiative led by Twin Cities PBS aimed at inspiring Minnesotans to remember, share stories, recognize bravery, express their reasons for dissent, and foster understanding around the lasting impact of war. TPT is partnering with the Minnesota Humanities Center to bring public conversations around these topics to communities across the state, thanks to support from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with a vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.
For more information on the refugee experience discussion, call the Morrison County Historical Society at 320-632-4007.