Title
Honoring the life and contributions of Saint Paul historian and political activist Rhoda R. Gilman.
Body
WHEREAS Rhoda Gilman, affectionately known as the grandmother of the Green Party of Minnesota, exemplified the best of the state’s long protest tradition, demonstrating a radical belief about the best of what was possible while remaining practical in advancing positive, lasting change; and
WHEREAS having been born in Seattle and earning a master’s degree in economics at Bryn Mawr, Gilman moved to Saint Paul with her late husband, Logan Gilman, in 1952 at which point she began a decades-long career with Minnesota Historical Society which resulted in many respected works, including her biography of Minnesota’s first governor, Henry Sibley, the rich historical research she conducted into the lives of women, native and indigenous peoples, and members of minority communities which have been central to the state’s history, and the Minnesota Book Award nominee "Ringing in the Wilderness" and "Stand Up! The Story of Minnesota's Protest Tradition"; and
WHEREAS Gilman belonged to the Twin Cities Friends Meeting and served on the board of the Quaker Universalist Fellowship, heading up their publication program as both editor and author; and
WHEREAS Gilman’s passion and commitment to community resulted in her work to help found the Women Historians of the Midwest, the Minnesota Independent Scholars Forum, and her participation on the boards of the Institute for Minnesota Archaeology and the Minnesota Archaeological Society; and
WHEREAS after her professional retirement in 1992, Gilman became a political activist and founding member of the Minnesota Green Party, ultimately running for lieutenant governor on the Green Party’s ticket in 2002; and
WHEREAS in 2008, in recognition of her significant contributions to the causes of peace and social justice, Gilman received the Vincent L. Hawkinson Foundation Award, a prestigious acknowledgement of the rewards and struggles that are part of the pursuit of justice and peacemaking; and
WHEREAS until her final days, Gilman remained a practical visionary, a passionate historian, and an eternal optimist who believed that positive change was always possible;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Saint Paul expresses its heartfelt appreciation and gratitude for the many contributions selflessly given during a lifetime of public service by Rhoda R. Gilman, together with sincere condolences to her surviving family members.