History Lounge: The Inventive Mr. Jones

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Dec. 8, 2009

Time: 7 p.m.

Fee: Free

Explore the complex life and mind of Minnesota inventor Frederick McKinley Jones, a self-taught engineer who tirelessly pursued innovations that would improve the lives of others. Jones pioneered new technology in areas ranging from communication and medical imaging to mobile refrigeration, eventually receiving 61 patents in his name. Join Society historian and educator Dwight Scott as he discusses how Jones faced down racial prejudice and his own demons to become one of the most accomplished inventors of the 20th century.

This program is held in conjunction with the History Center exhibit "Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World." For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/benfranklin.

See related events.

History Lounge: The Tireless Dr. Ripley

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Jan. 26, 2010

Time: 7 p.m.

Fee: Free

Discover the work of Dr. Martha Ripley (1843-1912), a determined early advocate for women’s health and social equality who was once denounced on the floor of the Minnesota State Senate, but now has a plaque in her honor at the Capitol. One of the state’s first female physicians and a passionate suffragist, Dr. Ripley established Maternity Hospital of Minneapolis in 1886 and pioneered a new model for the medical profession’s treatment of single mothers. Join Ripley scholar and Regions Hospital medical librarian Mary Wittenbreer as she examines Ripley’s tireless campaign to change the way Minnesotans viewed women. This program is being held in connection with “Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World.”

History Lounge: The Productive Dr. Borlaug

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Feb. 9, 2010

Time: 7 p.m.

Fee: Free

Look inside the mind of the late Norman Borlaug, the University of Minnesota agronomist who found new ways to sustain the growing global population. Borlaug forged new paths in the fight against plant diseases at the root of Third World famines, setting off a “Green Revolution” that changed farming practices and the lives of millions around the globe. Borlaug won the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize for his work. Join University of Minnesota plant pathologist Brian Steffenson for an exploration of Borlaugh's historic work.