The Humphrey Center for American Indian Studies at Central Lakes College

The centerpiece of the library at Central Lakes College in Brainerd is the Skone Family Conservatory which houses the Humphrey Center for American Indian Studies. It is named after Pete Humphrey, a life-long Brainerd resident who was deeply interested in building bridges between Indian and non-Indian cultures. Primary funding for the center came through a generous donation from the Terry Skone family. Future funding will complete another phase that will include interactive kiosks providing education on the Minnesota Ojibwe people.

Pete Humphrey’s collection of American Indian cultural materials forms the heart of the center. Literature from the center states that,  “The main area is a museum housing interpretive displays on Ojibwe culture. It also includes more than 3,000 books, research material, cultural resources and programming on American Indian cultures and related issues. Because this collection has been assembled with a strong eye towards educational use, Pete wished it to be housed in an educational facility so that it will be used to promote greater awareness and understanding of American Indian cultures.”