The cruelty behind 'Minnesota nice'

NPR | By Henry Larson,

Pien Huang, Sarah Robbins

Published June 20, 2026 at 3:35 PM MDT

George Floyd's murder put Minneapolis in the spotlight. Justin Ellis' new book, 'The Cruelty of Nice Folks: Why Minneapolis is the Story of America,' says the city embodies a contradiction - liberal ideals alongside deep racial disparities.

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Henry Larson

Pien Huang

Pien Huang is a health reporter on the Science desk. She was NPR's first Reflect America Fellow, working with shows, desks and podcasts to bring more diverse voices to air and online.

See stories by Pien Huang

Sarah Robbins