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
Eric recounts how he and others fulfilled Clementine Robinson's final wish by arranging for the headstone she desired, highlighting the impact of collective kindness.
16 May 2025TRANSCRIPT
Introducing: Worth It
Hosts Nicole Norfleet and Aaron Brown introduce "Worth It," a new show exploring Minnesota stories, paddling routes in the Twin Cities, and home remodeling.
2 May 2025TRANSCRIPT
Bonus Episode Two: What’s Next for Ghost of a Chance
Eric 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 go online to bit.ly/robinsonmemorial (http://bit.ly/robinsonmemorial).
To learn more about the May 29, 2025 event “From the Robinsons to Floyd, the long history that got us here” go to our events page here https://tix.startribune.com/e/ghost-of-a-chance (https://tix.startribune.com/e/ghost-of-a-chance)
If you want to email the team behind Ghost of a Chance you can send us a message at Ghostofachance@startribune.com (mailto:Ghostofachance@startribune.com)
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
17 Feb 2025
BONUS: The Speech
Eric finds a book that includes a jaw-dropping piece of history from a prominent 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 (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
10 Feb 2025TRANSCRIPT
The Dividing Line
Episode 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.
For documents, photos and other source material related to this episode, go to https://www.startribune.com/ghost-of-a-chance-podcast-episode-6-guide/601204960 (https://www.startribune.com/ghost-of-a-chance-podcast-episode-6-guide/601204960)
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
3 Feb 2025TRANSCRIPT
The Corner
Episode 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.
For documents, photos and other source material related to this episode, go to: https://www.startribune.com/ghost-of-a-chance-podcast-episode-5-guide/601204959 (https://www.startribune.com/ghost-of-a-chance-podcast-episode-5-guide/601204959)
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
27 Jan 2025
Why Did He Do It?
Episode 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 documents, photos and other source material related to this episode, go to: https://www.startribune.com/ghost-of-a-chance-podcast-episode-4-guide/601204958 (https://www.startribune.com/ghost-of-a-chance-podcast-episode-4-guide/601204958)
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
20 Jan 2025
‘It Was Ugly’
Episode 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 documents, photos and other source material related to this episode, go to: https://www.startribune.com/ghost-of-a-chance-podcast-episode-3-guide/601204957 (https://www.startribune.com/ghost-of-a-chance-podcast-episode-3-guide/601204957)
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
13 Jan 2025
Nice Little House
Episode 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 documents, photos and other source material related to this episode, go to: https://www.startribune.com/ghost-of-a-chance-podcast-episode-2-guide/601204916 (https://www.startribune.com/ghost-of-a-chance-podcast-episode-2-guide/601204916)
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
12 Jan 2025TRANSCRIPT
Falling Down the Rabbit Hole
Episode 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 documents, photos and other source material related to this episode, go to: https://www.startribune.com/ghost-of-a-chance-podcast-episode-1-guide/601204915 (https://www.startribune.com/ghost-of-a-chance-podcast-episode-1-guide/601204915)
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
18 Dec 2024TRANSCRIPT
Introducing Ghost of a Chance
When history buff Eric Roper buys an old house in Minneapolis, he wants to know everything about the people who lived there before him. But one couple became his obsession. They were one of the few Black families more than a hundred years ago to own a home in what’s now the whitest part of Minneapolis. And they show Eric a side of his city he never knew before. This is “Ghost of a Chance” from the Minnesota Star Tribune. Coming January 13.
For more information on Ghost of a Chance, head to our website: http://startribune.com/ghostofachance (http://startribune.com/ghostofachance)
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Inside a recent episode
The Headstone
Published 11 Nov 2025 · Transcript excerpt
[…] I've heard this too. People often say, leave the past in the past. There are actually initiatives nationally to stop telling these stories in public spaces. But in our experience, we need to know the past to better understand the present. But it can be uncomfortable. It seems like the key is to have a foundation to move through the discomfort. That's what we heard with Tracy Grimm. She's in a community at Blake's school where they are talking openly about privilege and discrimination. And in Mr. Beast classroom, where his students are learning to move safely in and safely out of this hard history. […]
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