Podcast
Ghost of a Chance
Hosted by The Minnesota Star Tribune · EN
When reporter Eric Roper buys a lovely 113-year-old house in Minneapolis, he wants to find out everything he can about its history. But he quickly becomes obsessed with one couple who owned the house 100 years ago. Harry and Clementine Robinson send him down a surprising rabbit hole into an incredible history he never heard before. As he artfully and meticulously pieces together the remarkable story of their lives, we find out what the Robinsons reveal about a history of race in Minneapolis -- the city that became ground zero for an unprecedented global racial reckoning.
New episodes available on Mondays. For more information on Ghost of a Chance, head to our website: http://startribune.com/ghostofachance
11episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Headstone
Nov 1100:40:39Summary readyWhen Eric realized Clementine Robinson never got the headstone that she wanted, it felt wrong. And he wasn’t the only one who felt that way. This is the story of how a group of strangers got together to grant the last wish of a woman they never met.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
SummaryIntroducing: Worth It
May 16, 202500:36:03Summary readyWe’re excited to introduce Worth It, a new show from The Minnesota Star Tribune and Lemonada Media. Each week, editor Nicole Norfleet and columnist Aaron Brown are joined by people who know Minnesota inside and out – reaching into the spaces you might not know to share the stories worth your attention, the places worth a look, and the events worth your time – and money. In this episode, whether you kayak, canoe or paddleboard - or you want to - we’ll hear the best paddling routes to try in the Twin Cities metro. There’s a new show about a real-life Minnesota woman-cowboy-detective from the 1800s. Plus, why you should think “salvage” for home remodeling and the cost to raise a kid here. After you listen, be sure to follow Worth It wherever you get your podcasts, or head to: https://lemonada.lnk.to/WorthItStarTribunefdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
SummaryBonus Episode Two: What’s Next for Ghost of a Chance
May 2, 202500:06:40Summary readyEric responds to listeners' requests to honor Clementine and Harry Robinson in real life. Neither has a marker honoring their life or death -- and that's about to change. Plus, we have details on a Ghost of a Chance storytelling event on May 29th, marking the fifth anniversary of George Floyd's murder and the racial reckoning that followed. Show Notes: To learn more about the GoFundMe and contribute to the Robinson’s memorial, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-honor-the-robinsons-and-the-old-southside To learn more about the May 29, 2025 event, visit https://tix.startribune.com/e/ghost-of-a-chance If you want to email the team behind Ghost of a Chance, you can reach us at ghostofachance@startribune.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
SummaryBONUS: The Speech
Feb 17, 202500:27:19Summary readyEric finds a book that includes a jaw-dropping piece of history from a Black woman who lived in Minneapolis in the 1920s and 30s. Her words become the name of this podcast. This is the speech that inspired the title “Ghost of a Chance.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Summary
The Dividing Line
Feb 10, 202500:44:21Summary readyEpisode 6 -- To find out what happened to the Robinsons in the 1960s, Eric doesn’t need old records anymore. People alive today tell him the story of the historic moment when the jack hammers and bulldozers arrived. Eric learns what is left of Harry and Clementine Robinson’s lives.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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The Corner
Feb 3, 202500:38:11Summary readyEpisode 5 -- Eric turns to the people who lived alongside Harry and Clementine Robinson to show him what it was like to start over in the new reality of the 1930s. They are outcasts in their own city, but gradually become central figures in what is emerging as the Black middle class community there.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Why Did He Do It?
Jan 27, 202500:35:57Summary readyEpisode 4 --There is sometimes a steep price to pay for being bold. Eric investigates a mysterious shooting involving Harry, and a damaging accusation that threatens his livelihood on the eve of a global catastrophe. He also makes a shocking discovery that pulls back the curtain on the Robinsons’ relationship. They are tested. For more information on Ghost of a Chance, head to our website: http://startribune.com/ghostofachanceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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‘It Was Ugly’
Jan 20, 202500:32:57Summary readyEpisode 3 -- It’s one thing to become successful. It’s another to hold onto it. Eric finds that in the 1920s, people were coming for the Robinsons and their Black neighbors. And he uncovers how the blatant threats hid beneath mild-mannered suits and ties. The Robinsons’ courage and ambition are putting them more and more at risk. For more information on Ghost of a Chance, head to our website: http://startribune.com/ghostofachanceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Nice Little House
Jan 13, 202500:37:58Summary readyEpisode 2 -- Clippings from the Black newspapers back in the 1910s help Eric piece together the lives of Harry and Clementine Robinson as they settle in a place as far north as they could get. Those articles lay out a map to success. But just as the Robinsons find their footing, a rash of racial conflicts across the country threatens to unravel their progress. For more information on Ghost of a Chance, head to our website: http://startribune.com/ghostofachanceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Falling Down the Rabbit Hole
Jan 12, 202500:30:50Summary readyEpisode 1 -- Reporter Eric Roper moves into his 113-year-old house and finds an irresistible piece of history that sends him down a rabbit hole like no other. It takes him back in time to the Civil War and across the Midwest to uncover the mysterious origins of two of the former owners of his home – Harry and Clementine Robinson. For more information on Ghost of a Chance, head to our website: http://startribune.com/ghostofachanceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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