Humanities Building

In 2013, the Macalester Board of Trustees changed the name of the Humanities building to Neill Hall. 

The building was named after Edward Duffield Neill, the founder of Macalester College. Who was Edward Neill? Born and raised  in Philadelphia, Neill eventually moved to Saint Paul in 1849 as a Presbyterian minister, where he founded two churches and multiple educational institutions. Neill established the Baldwin School in 1853—which would eventually become Macalester—as well as the Saint Paul public school system. A well-known man, he was friends with Alexander Ramsey and William Marshall, who were not only governors of Minnesota, but also financial supporters of Macalester College. He participated in the Civil War as a member of the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry before leaving the state in 1861 to further involve himself. In 1864, he became President Abraham Lincoln’s secretary before returning to Saint Paul in 1871 to manage the Baldwin School. Upon receiving an endowment from Charles Macalester, Neill renamed the school in his honor and, thus, opened Macalester College in 1874.1 Edward Neill was not only the founder but also served as the first president of the school and as a professor of History and English.2 

This is the history that the Board chose to recognize, the history that is easy to swallow. Looking only slightly deeper into Neill’s life, another version of history is uncovered.

The building would not only be named for the founder of Macalester College, but also an avid white supremacist and participant in settler-colonialism in Minnesota. Some may say that because most white people at the time were explicitly racist proponents of colonialism, individuals cannot rightfully be held to the same standards used today. Nevertheless, Neill’s words and actions surpassed average beliefs at the time. 

Considering himself an amateur archaeologist, he was one of the first to destroy and steal from Indigenous burial mounds in Saint Paul’s Indian Mounds Park—considered sacred Dakota land—in 1856.1 There were at least 18 mounds located in Indian Mounds Park and another 19 nearby on the bluff of the cave at Wakan Tipi, also considered sacred land. Neill was one of the first of many to excavate the mounds; over time, settlers destroyed them in order to build streets, houses, and other developments.3 Today, only six mounds remain intact.4

Neill’s writings also reflect his violent racism. He wrote much about the history of white settler-colonialism throughout the US, including a book entitled History of Freeborn County, which covers the history of Minnesota. In this book, he describes Indigenous groups as “savages” and believes it is not only necessary, but also inevitable that Indigenous peoples assimilate into white society, a process he finds natural, just, and Divine.5

Bde Maka Ska

Bde Maka Ska is one of many bodies of water in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, but it stands out from its fellow lakes due to its contested history. It was formerly known as Lake Calhoun, named after former racist U.S. Vice President from 1825-1832, John C. Calhoun.1 Now, after years of tension, the lake has been restored to its Dakota namesake.2 What was this complicated process like? What barriers did Dakota activists and allies face, and why? This case study illustrates the barriers encountered in such a simple act as renaming a site, which is a miniscule goal in comparison to larger environmental justice initiatives. To gain a full analysis and answers to these questions, primary sources in this renaming movement will be cited. Additionally, multiple secondary sources have been compiled to illustrate the timeline and legal intricacies of the situation. As the environmental justice movement advances and reaches a wider audience, it’s important to analyze some of its first successes. What strategies worked, what didn’t, and what are some different approaches activists can take in the future? Particularly as Macalester students, it is vital we understand our greater community and the land we live on. As an institution with a lot of power and racist history, we need to educate ourselves and work to change the legacies that are still idolized in our named buildings today.

What’s the meaning of these names?

Former U.S. Vice President John C. Calhoun was both a proponent of slavery, and a slave-owner himself.1 The lake was previously named after him in order to honor him, from the early 1800s up until 2020. Part of the push for this change was that this land is so incredibly important to Dakota people. According to Dakota activist and professor Waziyatawin, “Dakota people consider Minnesota the site of our creation and we have existed on this particular land base for thousands of years. It is Dakota homeland. No other population in the world can claim this deep connection to Minnesota.” 3 Having a name that memorializes a colonizer is an insult to this connection. The lake’s newly recognized name, Bde Maka Ska, is written in the Dakota language. “Bde” means lake, “Maka” means earth, and “Ska” means white; the name translates in full to “White Earth Lake”. Kate Beane is a Dakota historian and activist who fought for the name change. Her ancestors lived along Bde Maka Ska, creating a self-sustaining farm. To honor them instead, she, her sister Carly Bad Heart Bull, and their father spearheaded the renaming of Lake Calhoun.4

Why is renaming important?

Because it seems like a simple change, it’s easy to question why renaming is even important. However, it’s an essential and theoretically easy first step as part of the broader movement. According to environmental justice scholar David Pellow, a critical understanding of environmental justice requires an acknowledgement that “social inequalities are deeply embedded in society and reinforced by state power.” 5 A lake named after a harmful white man may not seem like that big of a deal, until you begin to think about why exactly the state values him rather than the Indigenous history surrounding the lake that has largely been destroyed. A name memorializes and honors its namesake, and by changing Lake Calhoun’s, it memorializes and honors Dakota heritage, which has for so long been overlooked. 

Renaming is only the first step in a larger education movement surrounding Dakota tradition. Indeed, it’s part of Waziyatawin’s first action item in justice for Dakota people, which is initiating an era of truth-telling.3 Even though it is only a first step, no matter how small it is, it threatens the status quo, which is dangerous to the system. Thus, unsurprisingly, this renaming initiative met backlash from some community members. 

Backlash & How to Cope

The opposing group that emerged was called “Save Lake Calhoun”. They argued that the name change was wrong because of lack of valid legal procedure, which held it up from getting passed for three years.6 Additionally, they claimed that the lake wasn’t named after the racist former government official, but rather an army Lieutenant by the name of Calhoun.7 However, neither arguments provided any significant evidence, indicating that really the backlash was rooted in racism. The hatred was difficult to cope with for many people involved. “It’s been a long journey, [and] county community meetings were hard because of racist rhetoric and the feeling of exclusion,” Beane said. She also described a scene where, when giving an emotional speech about what Bde Maka Ska meant to her, she was met with a stone-cold glare from a woman in the crowd.

With all this controversy, it can be difficult to stay motivated. However, Beane has met tons more people who were supportive of the name change, and were passionate about learning Dakota history.4 By focusing on the positives and keeping their values at the forefront of their work, the family kept pushing. Carly Bad Heart Bull hopes that the success of their story inspires others.8

Analyzing such lessons through successful case studies like this one is important because there is still a lot of renaming and environmental justice work to be done. Thus, they can provide ways to more effectively approach this work in the future. Because of the often unjust justice system and racist ideology that permeates the U.S., there is no foolproof way to successfully change offensive names. However, when working on these movements, it’s clear that self-care is important. Education, too, is a crucial part of environmental justice, so even by raising awareness about a harmful name and history is beneficial.

Activity

Learn Dakota words for your favorite Twin Cities bodies of water!

1. Lake Minnetonka > Mní iá Tháŋka 

2. Minnehaha Creek > Mníȟaȟa Wakpádaŋ 

3. Lake of the Isles > Wíta Tópa Bde 

4. Bde Maka Ska

5. Lake Harriet > Bde Umáŋ 

6. St. Anthony Falls > Owámniyomni 

7. & 11 & 12. Mississippi River > Wakpá Tháŋka 

8. Coldwater springs > Mniówe Sní

9. Mníȟaȟa Falls  > Mní Iȟpáyedaŋ 

10. Minnesota River > Mnísota Wakpá 

To practice pronunciation, visit Indigenous artist Marlena Myles' website to find recordings of all the phrases.