Author offers insider’s view of national organization’s demise By Charles Hallman Staff Writer At the height of its power, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) founded over 40 years ago had an estimated 400,000 members, 1,200 associated chapters in 105 cities and 42 states across the country. ACORN 8: Race, Power & […]
MSR News Online
Reach the MSR staff at msrnewsonline@spokesman-recorder.com.
Posted inNews
Twin Cities youth gains attention of national talent scouts
Musical theater performer started paying his dues on stage at age nine By Dwight Hobbes Contributing Writer To be young, gifted and Black, these days, isn’t what it was way back when. Nina Simone dedicated the song to Lorraine Hansberry in an era during which America tried to pretend gifted Black youngsters didn’t exist. Accordingly, […]
Posted inNews
Conference offers help to heal Black men
Mental health professionals learn about the need to address historical trauma By Dwight Hobbes Contributing Writer “Trauma Informed Approach: Engaging African American Men” examines the social dilemma of what, perceptibly, is wrong with Black men. In an enlightening, three-hour session, Samuel Simmons, LADC, looked at chronic problems and proposed viable solutions. Cultural competence. It’s one […]
Posted inNews
Mpls march protested alleged police brutality
On Friday, June 22, a march was held in downtown Minneapolis to protest an alleged incident of police brutality that happened on Sunday the 17th. Zachary King (inset) has accused Minneapolis police officers of beating him outside a downtown nightclub after he informed them that a bulge they noticed in his clothes was a pistol […]
Posted inHealth + Wellness
A fistic dictum: Letting your guard down creates regretful ‘after’ moments
There are definite before/after moments in life. Before that flat tire you should’ve checked your air pressure; after, you wish were on your way without this setback. Before the car died you could’ve pulled in to that gas station, but you passed it up and ran out of gas. After, you are forced to pull […]
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Advertorial – Students look forward to what comes next
Congratulations, graduates! Each spring, our preschool students visit kindergarten classrooms to get a sense of what they can expect from the coming year’s big transition. They embrace their day-long challenge with a blend of trepidation and excitement, understanding on some intrinsic level that they are getting a glimpse of their future, seeing that it is […]
Posted inOpinion
Kudos to the Minneapolis Juneteenth committee
By Jimmy Stroud Contributing Writer Kudos to the Twin Cities Juneteenth Celebration, Inc. and their many volunteers for another safe and successful Juneteenth event held at North Mississippi Regional Park in Minneapolis on June 16, 2012. As I roamed around the park taking hundreds of event photographs — 548 to be precise — I was […]
Posted inOpinion
A Sports Authority chair who understands the Black struggle
Kelm-Helgen’s civil rights history is a rich one There are names and families that remain strong in the pantheon of the civil rights struggle for freedom and liberty for all in Minnesota, including such names as Newman, Johnson, Humphrey and Childress. Governor Dayton’s June 15, 2012 announcement of his three Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority members […]
Posted inOpinion
In South Africa, lesbians are terrorized with ‘corrective’ rape
To hear of human rights abuses of Uganda’s LGBTQ population is not new, sadly. Gay activist David Kato was the father of the Uganda’s LGBTQ rights movement. To many of his fellow countrymen, Kato was a dead man walking once his homosexuality became public. The country’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill, dubbed the “Kill the Gays Bill,” criminalizes […]
Posted inOpinion
Target has failed Brooklyn Park residents
City council needs to serve the people, not corporate greed By Boyd Morson Guest Commentator After reading the very interesting article about Target Corp. and their unwillingness to hire criminal offenders deserving of a second chance [“Target is targeted for hiring practices,” MSR, May 24], I found the story relevant and necessary to holding them accountable […]
Posted inSports
‘Colorblind racism’: Language of sports filled with barely disguised bigotry
A memorable scene from Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing is Lee character’s argument with a White man over the latter not recognizing the Black players he liked, such as Magic Johnson, as being just as Black as Lee is. The late Kirby Puckett was hailed a Minnesota hero but once he was charged with […]
Posted inSports
Thunder can’t turn the Heat off!
MIAMI — For all those who pulled against LeBron James because he made a decision that you disagreed with for his future — this one’s for you. I was really kind of surprised at the nearly 3-1 margin of fans on Facebook-Twitter-media and fans of basketball that picked against the Miami Heat vs. the Oklahoma […]
Posted inSports
High school hoops star grows up to coach, write about, play his sport
Travis Bledsoe also wants to give back to basketball-loving Native American youth on reservations By Sheri Crockett Contributing Writer Travis Bledsoe and I met at a Caribou Coffee Shop in Brooklyn Park. My first impression of him was he is laid back, confident, and very easygoing. My impression was correct; not only that, he is also soft […]
Posted inSports
First Annual All Star Classic a success
BRIAN SANDIFER wanted to reunite the young African American boys’ basketball players who made the mark in the metro area over the past decade. The former football/basketball standout and Saint Agnes graduate (1986) did just that by holding the First Annual All Star Classic at Concordia University last Sunday afternoon. Sandifer, CEO of GRASSROOTS Youth […]
Posted inOpinion
Target has failed Brooklyn Park residents
City council needs to serve the people, not corporate greed By Boyd Morson Guest Commentator After reading the very interesting article about Target Corp. and their unwillingness to hire criminal offenders deserving of a second chance [“Target is targeted for hiring practices,” MSR, May 24], I found the story relevant and necessary to holding them accountable […]
Posted inResources
Child and Adult Care Food Program
TLC Education Foundation is a participant in the Child and Adult Care Food Program • Meals will be available at no separate charge to enrolled children at TLC Precision Wafer, 1411 W. River Rd. N., Mpls., every Mon.-Fri., 11:30 am — 1 pm • The goal of the program is to improve the diets […]
Posted inNews
Miss Black Minnesota USA Pageant coming back strong
The Miss Black Minnesota USA Pageant is now under new ownership, leadership and direction. The executive director of the Miss Black Minnesota Program and State Pageant Director of the Miss Black Minnesota USA Pageant, Tiffany Ramm, will be graduating in May with her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Minnesota with an […]
Posted inGo Green, News
Encourage good spending/saving habits in our kids
Immediate gratification, lack of information, and lack of discipline have forced many of you into a tardy start with several missed financial opportunities. This mindset probably started young. Think back to when you graduated from high school: How much graduation money did you receive? I got roughly $900 cash that I was allowed to spend. […]
Posted inNews
Father’s Day Weekend honors positive Black dads
By Charles Hallman Staff Writer A father of two daughters, Terry Austin wants all Black men to be more involved with young Black males and females. He says he was inspired to do something several years ago while attending church. Austin at the time was working for a pharmaceutical company: “I had this vision of health […]
Posted inNews
Lindsay defends higher hiring goals
By Charles Hallman Staff Writer There is nothing new about complaints from construction contractors and subcontractors that they are unable to find enough qualified, skilled Black workers to meet the hiring expectations that come with publicly funded projects. Such complaints have surfaced over the years through city civil rights departments during their monitoring of public […]