What does Aquatennial have to do with Minneapolis’ bloody 1934 Teamsters strike?

The article’s author, Kelly Ahern, was a student at the time. She no longer recalls where the memo is located, except that it belongs to the Minnesota Historical Society. Labor historian David Riehle, who died earlier this year, had told her where it could be found. The Minnesota Star Tribune spent hours looking for the memo in the Gale Family Library of the Historical Society with no luck.

The Aquatennial was an overnight success, according to newspapers of the era. It attracted tourists from all over Minnesota and was said to be among the best summer festivals in the country.

The business leaders who put it on publicized the fact that they included labor leaders in planning for the event.

Tom Hastings, president of the Minneapolis Aquatennial association, said in 1941 that the event hired local union workers, according to the Minneapolis Daily Times. “A large amount of additional work was provided [to] carpenters, painters, metal workers, laborers, electrical workers, stage hands, musicians and workers in many other lines,” he said.

The unions were also invested in boosting Minneapolis tourism after its reputation took a hit in the previous decade.