PSGM Plaque

In 1898, the men of the 13th Minnesota All Volunteer Infantry left for the Philippines to fight a war. Fifty years later, a plaque commemorating the efforts of the 1,292 volunteers was hung in the state Capitol, but the bronze memorial didn't tell the whole story.

A new plaque unveiled Monday at the Capitol, commemorating the conflict between the Philippines and the United States, depicts a more accurate version of historical events, said the Philippine Study Group of Minnesota.

Minnesota is the first state to correct the plaque problem, which blended events of the Spanish-American War and the conflict with the Philippines. Similar complaints concerning commemorative plaques have been made in California, Illinois and Pennsylvania, according to the Philippine Study Group.

It restores to the Filipinos and the Americans their history," said Albert F. Del Rosario, the Philippine ambassador to the United States, who spoke to the crowd of about 100 community members and legislators attending the unveiling ceremony.

The old plaque makes no mention of the conflict between the United States and the Philippines from 1899 to 1902, which took place after the United States defeated Spain in the 1898 Spanish-American War. The plaque also refers to the Philippine soldiers as "insurgents," and calls Philippine President Emilio Aguinaldo "Chief Aguinaldo."

"It is always important to fix mistakes, especially when a public display gives out misinformation," said Lt. Gov. Mae Schunk.

The new bronze plaque, made by Ann Klefstad, an artist in Duluth, explains the misinformation in the old plaque. It will hang under the 1948 plaque.

"I think it serves an educational purpose," said Art Adiarte, a member of the Philippine Study Group. The old plaque demonstrates the mind-set in 1948, and the addition of the new plaque demonstrates the evolution in thinking, Adiarte said.

The study group worked for eight years to change the plaque, and in 1999 the Minnesota Legislature approved $10,000 to create and install the new plaque. The new plaque -- sponsored by the study group, the Capitol Area Architectural Planning Board, the Minnesota Historical Society and the Minnesota Administration Department -- was unveiled on the 103rd anniversary of the outbreak of fighting between Filipinos and Americans following the defeat of the Spanish.

"Beyond correcting a wrong, we're also demonstrating how persistence pays off," said Eugene R. Andreotti, adjutant general of the Minnesota National Guard. The plaque still recognizes the brave deeds of Minnesotans who participated in the war, he added.