• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Subscribe
    • Become a print subscriber
    • Sign up for e-Newsletter
    • e-Editions
Thursday, September 28, 2023
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
No Result
View All Result

Justice Alan Page: a man of vision and success

by
August 5, 2015
43
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on LinkedIn

Associate Supreme Court justice retires August 7

Justice Alan Page has been a life-long success model (high school star athlete, university all star defensive end and consThroughMyEyesnewensus All-America at Notre Dame, NFL first-round draft pick, Vikings All Pro defensive tackle, MVP, NFL Hall of Fame).

Nonetheless, as a young man, Alan Page wanted to be an attorney and be on the state Supreme Court. He earned his law degree while playing for the Vikings.

As he stated in 2005, “The lessons that I learned from professional football were many: hard work, discipline, focus, the ability to analyze a problem and work through it. To accept that you don’t always win and when you do win that doesn’t change who you are.”

Throughout his life, Justice Page has served as a role model for young men and women, demonstrating that education matters, as it leads to jobs and careers for those who follow that path. I still remember a wonderful luncheon meeting at the Riverview Supper Club with then-Governor Rudy Perpich, Nellie Stone Johnson (DFL co-founder), Elmer Childress (master electrician, labor leader, and the only African American to serve as commissioner of MN Veterans Affairs), and Leon Rankin (master electrician, contractor, community advocate, most effective labor movement organizer, and devoted family man).

The purpose of the luncheon was to recommend four African American attorneys to be considered for appointment to Minnesota courts. The four outstanding African Americans we recommended to Governor Perpich all went on to make their mark as judges: Michael Davis, Pam Alexander, Lejune Lang, and Alan Page. Three were later appointed to the Hennepin County District court bench. Alan Page later joined the Minnesota Attorney General’s office.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

As Insight News wrote, February 19, 2015,  we formed “a highly effective advocacy and civic change movement,” being “civil rights freedom fighters [who] formed the core leadership group of the legendary Minneapolis Urban League Board of Directors” that “in the mid-1970s, gave rise to the MUL national reputation as audacious, relentless, progressive and effective.” When will we get a group like that in Minneapolis for the 21st century?

Alan Page translated the intelligence, hard work, speed and quickness with which he played football to the law. When Alan Page let it be known in 1992 that he sought a seat on the MN Supreme Court, new Govenor Arne Carlson tried to block him, even though he had the support of former Governor Perpich and a significant segment of the African American and White communities. Alan Page challenged the block tried by Governor Carlson, taking on the established order just as he did with so many running backs and quarterbacks. And, in Thurgood Marshall style, he tackled the block.

He won. History was made. He became the first and, so far, only African American to sit on Minnesota’s high court.

We now take the opportunity to thank Justice Alan Page for his humanity, for his commitment to law and justice, and to thank those four African Americans and the governor of the state of Minnesota who saw the value and importance of recommending and supporting Judges Davis, Alexander, Lang, and Page.

This column’s goal and commitment is to make sure history is preserved as is the success of the African American community in championing those who clearly have made a difference while also showing that not just Whites can make it to high positions. Justice Page will continue in retirement to pursue making Minnesota a better place to live and matter.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Thanks Judge Page for a job well done, enabling us to pursue focus, dignity, integrity and humanity.

Stay tuned.

 

For Ron’s hosted radio and TV show’s broadcast times, solutions papers, books, and archives, go to www.TheMinneapolisStory.com. To order his books, go to .

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Support Black local news

Help amplify Black voices by donating to the MSR. Your contribution enables critical coverage of issues affecting the community and empowers authentic storytelling.

Donate Now!

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Aundria Arlandson, a shot-caller in Twin Cities entertainment biz

Next Post

Where is my Black body safe in America?

You Might Also Like

Linemen lead St. Paul Central past city rival
Sports

Linemen lead St. Paul Central past city rival

What should the community do with the Third Precinct now?
Local

City Council reneges on Third Precinct proposal

Hennepin County attorney to handle investigation into Cobb killing
Local

Hennepin County attorney to handle investigation into Cobb killing

The debate over police officers in schools
Local

The debate over police officers in schools

Sickle Cell Awareness Month: Breakthrough treatments on the horizon
Health & Wellness

Sickle Cell Awareness Month: Breakthrough treatments on the horizon

Health department concerned about Stillwater water supply, but says it is safe to drink
Local

Health department concerned about Stillwater water supply, but says it is safe to drink

Next Post
Rev. Irene Monroe

Where is my Black body safe in America?

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ADVERTISEMENT

Upcoming Events

Sep 12
September 12 @ 6:30 pm-December 18 @ 9:30 pm Recurring

Vic Volare Presents MUSIC FOR MARTINIS ft: Vic’s Fabulous Nightclub Academy

Sep 28
7:30 pm-9:30 pm Recurring

Ayodele Casel Rooted

Sep 30
9:00 am-1:00 pm Recurring

Cars and Caves

Sep 30
10:00 am-12:00 pm

dem Blessings for Parents: A Morning of Creative Nourishment with Sharon Bridgforth

View Calendar
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Read our latest e-Edition!

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Subscribe

  • Home/Office Delivery
  • Weekly e-newsletter
  • e-Editions

Support

  • Donate
  • Subscribe
  • MSR Newsstand Locations

Connect

  • About
    • MSR Staff
  • Contact
  • Send a news tip
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

No Result
View All Result
  • News & Features
    • Local
    • National
  • All Sections
    • Arts & Culture
    • Health & Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • MN Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Business
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
      • Small Business Month Celebration
    • Opinion
    • Sports
  • Events
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • Donate
  • Subscribe

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: