"Dakota 38 + 2" Documentary Program

Join us for the screening of this powerful documentary, followed by Q & A and discussion hosted by John Kellan. This program is free and open to the public, all ages welcome. Overview: The original ride was called Dakota 38 + 2 ride based on a dream that Lakota Elder Jim Miller had of coming home to Minnesota to honor their ancestors.  On December 26, 1862, 38 Dakota warriors were hanged in Mankato which is to this day the largest mass hanging in US History.  The ride starts in Lower Brule Reservation, South Dakota and traverses 330 miles over sixteen days in December each year ending in Reconciliation Park, downtown Mankato which was the site of the mass hangings. The Documentary Film, “Dakota 38 + 2” is a powerful story of healing that continues to this day along the route the riders take. In 2024 for the first time, Dakota riders and their families stayed in New Ulm thanks to a group of local organizers.  New Ulm plays a prominent role in the history of that time and community members now have the opportunity to begin their own healing journey as descendants of ancestors who witnessed the US Dakota War of 1862.