December 13, 2020: Terry Shoptaugh - Sons of the Wild Jackass

Terry Shoptaugh is a native of St. Louis, Missouri.  He has written and published six books on the history of Minnesota and North Dakota, including You Have Been Kind Enough to Assist Me; They Were Ready: The 164th Infantry in the Pacific War; and Red River Floods.  His newest book, Sons of the Wild Jackass, relates the rise and decline of the Nonpartisan League in North Dakota.  

Sons of the Wild Jackass: The Nonpartisan League in North Dakota

Terry Shoptaugh discusses how the Nonpartisan League (NPL) came into existence, became a force in politics and government on the Great Plains, and influenced the nation’s agricultural policies throughout the 20th century.  The role of leadership in the League, a major part of the organization’s success -- and its subsequent decline – is a major part of the story.