While playwright Claudia Rankine meant well, the play appeared to try to cover too much ground and stumbled a bit in the end.
Mel Reeves
Mel Reeves was the community editor at the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder until he passed away on January 6, 2022. He had a long and storied history working at the MSR.
Find more about Reeve’s life and legacy here: spokesman-recorder.com/category/remembering-mel-reeves.
Posted inFeatured, News
MSR Town Hall addresses tough-on-crime fallout
The MSR hosted its first-ever town hall with the mission to explore the consequences of the “tough-on-crime” policy of the 2000s.
Posted inFeatured, News
Chief public defender’s ‘star chamber’ suspension widely denounced
Hennepin County Chief Public Defender Mary Moriarty was abruptly placed on suspension by the Minnesota Board of Public Defense two days before Christmas for reasons unknown.
Posted inFeatured, Opinion
Who Killed Malcolm X?
Who killed Malcolm will likely never be proven, but it doesn’t have to be. The federal government wanted Malcolm X dead and only a fool would conclude otherwise.
Posted inFeatured, News
Klobuchar campaign can’t shake blowback from Myon Burrell conviction
National exposure of the Myon Burrell case suggests overzealous prosecution.
Posted inFeatured, News
Trump’s new Muslim Ban more about race than security, say critics
Incidentally, President Trump signed the measure the day before the beginning of Black History Month in the U.S. The measure will prevent immigration to the U.S. altogether from Nigeria, Eritrea, Myanmar, and Kyrgyzstan.
Posted inOpinion
This year Black History Month celebrates the right to vote
The Freedom Movement, as it was called, placed a lot of emphasis on the right to vote, which had been denied to Blacks living in the South since the end of Reconstruction.
Posted inFeatured, News
Activists call for the release of Myon Burrell
Activists denounce Sen. Amy Klobuchar for her role in the conviction of Myon Burrell.
Posted inBlack History Month, Featured, News
The Black fight for the franchise
It’s been 150 years since the 15th Amendment was ratified on February 3, 1870, giving Black people access to the ballot.
Posted inOpinion
Commercials be damned: The NFL does not care about Black people
The NFL’s latest move is designed to ensure that the movement does not come back by trying to make it appear that it and the people concerned about ending police violence, share the same vision. They/we absolutely do not!
Posted inFeatured, Sports
Kobe Bryant: A Black man who above all else kept going
Kobe Bryant’s legacy may be that of a man who kept going until he found his sweet spot, first as an athlete, then as a man.
Posted inFeatured, News
MPS admits to disastrous outcomes for Black students
MPS’ yet-to-be-unveiled Comprehensive Plan aims to correct the dismal outcomes for Black students.
Posted inMLK Legacy Section, News
No King holiday without Wonder
It has been 40 years since Stevie Wonder penned the up-tempo riff of the ‘Happy Birthday’ song that created a groundswell of support for a MLK Holiday.
Posted inOpinion
Crime, race and opportunity in the first week of 2020
The very first week of the year in the Twin Cities brought much to talk about and reflect on.
Posted inOpinion
400 years later race still marks the spot
The year 2019 was like most years for those who are considered Black living in the United States; life was a series of avoiding pitfalls, while watching one’s budget, being cautious around cops and being careful not to say the wrong thing while at work.
Posted inFeatured, Local & State, News
The Year in Review
The year 2019 in the Twin Towns of Minneapolis and St. Paul turned out like many other previous years: It was the best of times for some and the worst of times for others.
Posted inOpinion
Philosophical “do-goodism” is simply hypocrisy
As many seek to celebrate this holiday season that focuses on giving, we should focus on ways in which our society gives to people on a regular what they need to enjoy life to the fullest
Posted inFeatured, News
Cops gone wild: police recklessly opened fire in Vue shooting
Police have not been forthcoming about why so many shots were fired, and why, if they were indeed aiming at Vue, so many missed their target.
Posted inOpinion
Star Tribune 1619 guest essay revises history of slavery; again
The continuation of attempts to justify chattel slavery and mollify the guilty feelings of some White Americans only hinders efforts to move forward.
Posted inFeatured, News
St. Paul’s Open Cities needs stopgap funding to survive
A much-used community health institution, Open Cities Health Center, finds itself needing nearly two million dollars to keep its doors open in 2020 after 52 years of serving the community.