Last night at the Minnesota Historical Society’s annual meeting, MNHS Director and CEO Kent Whitworth presented the annual Solon J. Buck Award, which recognizes originality, excellence and creativity in research and writing for articles published in Minnesota History magazine.

Two judges and the Minnesota History editor select the winners. The awardees for best article in 2018 are:
Kimmy Tanaka and Jonathan Moore for "Fuji-Ya, Second to None: Reiko Weston's Role in Reconnecting Minneapolis and the Mississippi River," fall 2018 issue

The judges admired the skillful storytelling that wove intricate elements together to tell the story of restaurateur Reiko Weston within the larger context of Japenese-American immigration and development in Minneapolis.

Tanaka holds a master’s of architecture degree and works as a site supervisor at Historic Fort Snelling. Moore holds master’s degrees in architecture and heritage preservation and works as a cultural resources program manager for the National Park Service at the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.

There were also two honorable mentions for the Buck Award:
Wayne Gannaway for “The Perils of Peace: Frederick Douglass, Winona and Civil Rights in Minnesota after the Civil War," summer 2018 issue. Gannaway holds an M.A. in folk studies and is the executive director of the History Center of Olmsted County.
Sarah Atwood for “‘This List Not Complete’: Minnesota’s Jewish Resistance to the Silver Legion of America, 1936–1940," winter 2018-2019 issue. Atwood is a Ph.D. candidate in American studies and co-curated the University of Minnesota exhibit “A Campus Divided.”

About the Buck Award
The Solon J. Buck Award has been awarded since 1954 to the best article of the year. The prize is named for the magazine’s first editor who was also superintendent of the Minnesota Historical Society, and later, United States Archivist. Minnesota History magazine is a benefit of MNHS membership. It has been published quarterly since 1915.

About the Minnesota Historical Society
The Minnesota Historical Society is a nonprofit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. MNHS collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs and publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our state’s stories and connects people with history. Visit us at mnhs.org.

The Minnesota Historical Society is supported in part by its Premier Partner: Explore Minnesota Tourism.