Russell Magnaghi

Russell Magnaghi was born in San Francisco in the middle of World War II, but has lived in Michigan's Upper Peninsula since 1969. Magnaghi received his education at the University of San Francisco (BA 1965) and at St. Louis University (Ph.D. 1970). Magnaghi has had a 45-year teaching career at Northern Michigan University and also served as director of the Center for Upper Peninsula Studies. He has written many journal and newspaper articles and books and has given talks on local heritage and regional history.

Buffalo in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Historian Russell Magnaghi gives a fascinating overview of the history of buffalo in the Upper Peninsula.

Read More

Christmas Comes to the Upper Peninsula

The observance of Christmas in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is a remarkable 361-year chronicle of transformation. Read Dr. Russell Magnaghi’s history of Christmas in the UP and the holiday traditions various immigrant groups practiced, which have all influenced how people celebrate Christmas in the UP today.

Read More

Gender and Factory Work in the Upper Peninsula – Part Two

In Part Two of this two-part series, Dr. Russell Magnaghi explores gender and employment jobs during the industrial development of the Upper Peninsula’s mining regions: the Marquette, Menominee, and Gogebic Iron Ranges, as well as the Copper Country.

Read More

Gender and Factory Work in the Upper Peninsula – Part One

A thorough history of the non-mining industries in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan has not been fully developed over the years, and the story of female factory workers has rarely been mentioned. Part One of this two-part series by Russell Magnaghi provides new insights into the history of women’s heritage in this region.

Read More

The French Regime in the Upper Peninsula – Part Three

Upper Peninsula historian Dr. Russell Magnaghi gives a fascinating overview of how the French explored and greatly influenced the history and development of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. This is the final installment of our three-part series.

Read More

The French Regime in the Upper Peninsula – Part Two

Upper Peninsula historian Dr. Russell Magnaghi gives a fascinating overview of how the French explored and greatly influenced the history and development of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. This is Part Two of a three-part, three-week series.

Read More

The French Regime in the Upper Peninsula – Part One

Upper Peninsula historian Dr. Russell Magnaghi gives a fascinating overview of how the French explored and greatly influenced the history and development of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. This is the first part of a three-part, three-week series.

Read More

Black Americans in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula – Part Two

Upper Peninsula historian Dr. Russell Magnaghi concludes his detailed history and overview of Black Americans in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula with Part 2 of the series–covering 1850 to the present.

Read More

Black Americans in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula – Part One

Upper Peninsula historian Dr. Russell Magnaghi gives a detailed history and overview of Black Americans in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula from 1743 to the present. Here is Part One of the series; Part Two will be published next Friday, January 22.

Read More

Euro-American Commercial Fishing in the Eastern Upper Peninsula – Part Two

Check out Part Two of Upper Peninsula historian Russell Magnaghi’s report on early Euro-American commercial fishing in the Eastern Upper Peninsula.

Read More