The cruelty behind 'Minnesota nice'

NPR | By Henry Larson,

Pien Huang, Sarah Robbins

Published June 20, 2026 at 5:35 PM EDT

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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.

Sarah Robbins