History of LACMN

Lithuanian Americans in Minnesota first met in the summer of 1990 with Latvians and Estonians on Summit Avenue (in Saint Paul, Minnesota) by the Governor's mansion to demonstrate for freedom of the Baltic States during the visit of Gorbachov to MN. George Jace and Tomas Markvaldas wrote the article in the St. Paul Press and Minnapolis Tribune calling Lithuanians to come to the demonstration and to send us their names and addresses.

The first organizational meeting of a small group of Lithuanian-Americans met at the home of George and Mary Jace in Hopkins, MN on January 24, 1991.

A new organization called the Lithuanian-American Community of Minnesota was established. The first meeting of all Lithuanian-Americans of Minnesota was held Thursday, February 7, 1991 at 7:00 PM in a conference room of the Hopkins City Hall. Forty people attended, among them two agricultural exchange students from the U. of MN. The exchange students were Algirdas Vosilius and Mindaugas Bubliauskas. Also a Latvian representative was present. Officers were elected. Tom Baltutis was elected as President, Kestutis Tautvydas as Vice-President, Milda Arlauskas as Secretary, Marcia Hansen as Treasurer, and Birute Tautvydas as the chairperson of the cultural committee, etc. The steering committee members were Tom Baltutis, Kestutis and Birute Tautvydas, Leo and Liana Raudys, Milda Arlauskas, Rick Vaicius, Tomas Markvaldas, and Marcia Hansen. Feb 16th, 1991 we held a commemorative demonstration for Lithuania's Independence on the steps of the MN Capital building, and at the end of April we had our first display booth at the Festival of Nations.

On October 30, 1991 the members of LAC of MN voted to become affiliated with the Lithuanina American Community, Inc. By-laws were written and approved by the members. We had a fall picnic at the farm of Gintautas and Debra Naujokas and held the first Kucios event at Christ the King Church Hall in south Minneapolis in December. We also published a newsletter; Volume1, No. 1 which came out on March 5th, 1991.

Respectfully submitted,
Kes Tautvydas

This was not the first time that Lithuanians have organized a community in Minnesota. By 1922 the influx of Lithuanian immigrants into Minnesota had reached a point where the Twin Cities Lithuanian American Society was formed. It was a very active society, but after almost five decades the original volunteers were becoming too old to be very active and there were not enough new members who were willing to volunteer. The Society was disbanded in 1970. A review of the Society and its activities was presented by XXX at the LACMN’s 2007 Independence Day event.