The cruelty behind 'Minnesota nice'

NPR | By Henry Larson,

Pien Huang, Sarah Robbins

Published June 20, 2026 at 5:35 PM EDT

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.

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

More from Delaware Public Media

Don Gonyea's front-row seat to presidential history

Matt Ozug, Pien Huang, Don Gonyea

As Don Gonyea covered the launch of the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago this week, he recalled key moments from presidential library openings he has covered throughout his career.
Butterflies may hold clues to longer lives

Jason Fuller, Pien Huang, Janaya Williams

Why do some butterflies live for months while others survive only weeks? Tufts University researcher Jessica Foley explains what Heliconius butterflies can teach us about aging.
Israel's growing fight over Palestinian symbols

Itay Stern

For some it's a symbol of identity. For others, a challenge to the state. NPR's Itay Stern reports on the debate over the Palestinian flag in Israel.