Ann Regan, former editor-in-chief at the Minnesota Historical Society Press, is the winner of the 2025 Kay Sexton Award for her significant contributions to and leadership in Minnesota’s literary community.
The award is presented annually to an individual or organization in recognition of longstanding dedication and outstanding work in fostering books, reading and literary activity in Minnesota and is part of the 2025 Minnesota Book Awards, presented this year by sponsor Education Minnesota. Regan’s award was announced Tuesday by Friends of the St. Paul Public Library.
Regan grew up in Billings, Mont., and graduated from the University of Montana with a double major in history and Russian. While working as a summer volunteer for the Montana Historical Society, she was mentored by Vivian Paladin, editor of the society’s quarterly journal. That work led her to a temporary position as a research assistant at the Minnesota Historical Society Press, where she remained for 45 years in various positions, retiring as the editor-in-chief in 2024.
During her time with MNHS Press, Regan acquired approximately 350 books and was directly involved with the editing of close to 300 of those. She says Evelyn Fairbanks’ “Days of Rondo” was the book that “made (her) an editor” and taught her about the collaborative relationship that was possible between author and editor.
The authors she has worked with praised her intellectual engagement, literary integrity, flexibility and willingness to learn from them about areas outside her expertise. Native American writer Diane Wilson (author of “Spirit Car”) says, “Ann and I worked through challenging cultural questions in ways that left us both with a deeper understanding of the other’s perspective.”
Regan has been an advocate for Minnesota’s diverse voices by standing behind anthologies that highlight historically underrepresented communities and working to improve the relationship between MNHS Press and Native writers. Says Anton Treuer, “Her leadership in this effort transformed our understanding of Minnesota and Native American History.”
One of the most well-known of these anthologies is “A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota,” edited by Sun Yung Shin and published in 2016, just before the police killing of Philando Castile. It instantly became a discussion piece in book clubs and library groups around the state. The book has continued to “spark essential conversations,” according to Nina Archabal, director emerita, Minnesota Historical Society, in the years since its publication.
In addition to her work alongside Minnesota’s authors, Regan has shared her expertise with the literary community in Minnesota, not only through editing projects but through writing and public service. Her prose has been published in journals and anthologies as well as in the book “Irish in Minnesota.” She has served on boards and committees for the Minnesota Book Publishers’ Roundtable, the Western History Association, the Council of the Northern Great Plains History Conference, Friends of the St. Paul
Public Library and other organizations. She has regularly given presentations about editing and publishing at Augsburg University, the University of Minnesota and St. Catherine University, and has taught classes at the Loft Literary Center.
The Kay Sexton Award panel praised the way Regan has worked with writers and her willingness to take a chance on an idea and help an author or editor it into a book. The panel said Regan has exemplified “sheer dedication and devotion to literature… she is everything this award stands for.”
Regan lives on St. Paul’s West Side with her husband, Minnesota Book Award-winning historian Bruce White. She will be honored at the 37th annual Minnesota Book Awards ceremony on April 22 at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, 345 Washington St., St. Paul. Awards will also be presented to winners in 10 book categories. The preface begins at 6 p.m., followed by the Awards Ceremony at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $27 and can be purchased at thefriends.org/mnba. The event will also be livestreamed. Registration for the free livestream is also thefriends.org/mnba.
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