The Hennepin History Museum's Facebook page was shut down Saturday morning and the giant online social media site warned the historical society for Hennepin County that it was violating community standards.
The reason? A page meant to publicize an event for author, historian and teacher Elizabeth Dorsey Hatle and her book "The Ku Klux Klan in Minnesota."
Museum staffers worked with Facebook to get back the page back up late Saturday but weren't happy about the action, which director Cedar Imboden Phillips called censorship of the museum's mission.
"Life isn't all bunny rabbits and fairy dust. We interpret and share the whole gamut of Hennepin County experiences, from the wonderful and the uplifting to the difficult or unpleasant."
The book, in addition to detailing Klan activities in Minnesota, also explores the prosecution of Minnesota Klan members by Hennepin County Attorney and future Gov. Floyd B. Olson, which Phillips called the first successful case in the country. Hatle and Facebook officials could not be immediately reached Saturday.
Phillips said the event, set for 2 p.m. March 8 as part of its Fireside Chat, will go on as planned. And she hopes that Facebook will reconsider its policies.
"Censoring this event protects no one."
