By Matthew Little Guest Commentator The wife of Supreme Court Judge Clarence Thomas shook the mainstream media by reviving one of the most universally attention-getting Supreme Court hearings in that body’s history. Virginia Thomas recently announced that she was requesting attorney Anita Hill, now a professor of law at Brandeis University, to publicly apologize for […]
MSR News Online
Posted inSports
Experts weigh in on Black female obesity
By Charles Hallman Contributing Writer Almost half of young Black females today are obese compared to nearly a third of White females. Obesity is a growing problem in this country, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), which reports that among adults in Minnesota it’s 24 percent for Whites but 32 percent […]
Posted inSports
St. Paul Central football team earns statewide respect
By now, everyone knows that St. Paul Central running backs ANDREW LEWIS, MALIK GLASS and GABRIEL WALKER dominated in last week’s Twin Cities 56-6 victory over Minneapolis Washburn. With that victory, St. Paul Central is getting the respect they deserve. Sportswriter, critics and fans alike are praising the Minutemen for finishing the regular season 8-0, […]
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Packers get a big one over Vikings 28-24
By Larry Fitzgerald Contributing Writer GREEN BAY, WI — One of the many signs that greeted Vikings quarterback Brett Favre’s return to Green Bay for his record- setting 119th start at Lambeau Field: “Brett Favre throws in picks and texts in chicks!” Let’s hope that’s not what it’s come to. Nobody said it would be […]
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Black NFL coaches win one, lose four
By Kwame JC McDonald Contributing Writer Black NFL coaches lose ground as they drop from an overall record of 18-15 to 19-19. Currently, their respective records are: MIKE TOMLIN (Pittsburgh), 5-1; JIM CALDWELL (Indianapolis), 4-2; LOVEY SMITH (Chicago), 4-3; RAHEEM MORRIS (Tampa Bay), 3-3; MARVIN LEWIS (Cincinnati), 2-4; and MIKE SINGLETARY (San Francisco), 1-6. Mpls. […]
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Brewster’s out and the haters are happy
By Charles Hallman Staff Writer I, for one, am disappointed that Tim Brewster lost his job as Gopher football coach when he was fired on Sunday. It’s not just the head coach who was fired, but also his family. Soon it will be his assistants and their families — six of them Black — since […]
Posted inSports
Vikings close Central gap
By Larry Fitzgerald Contributing Writer For the Vikings, the future is brighter now after coming back in the second half Sunday to beat the Dallas Cowboys 24-21 and improve to 2-3. They picked up a full game on NFC Central rivals Chicago, Green Bay and Detroit, who all lost Sunday. It was a key playoff […]
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More consistent officiating needed in college hoops
By Charles Hallman Staff Writer It’s not complicated: ‘Just call the game by the rules’ Consistency in men’s and women’s college basketball officiating during regular season and postseason play has long been a concern. Coaches of both men’s and women’s basketball agree that, like teams, officials can always use some improvement. Unlike teams, officials don’t […]
Posted inSports
NFL Black coaches raise record to 18-15
By Kwame JC McDonald Contributing Writer The win-loss records are listed with the respective coaches noted: Pittsburgh (MIKE TOMLIN) 4-1; Chicago (LOVEY SMITH) 4-2; Indianapolis (JIM CALDWELL) 4-2; Tampa Bay (RAHEEM MORRIS) 3-2; Cincinnati (MARVIN LEWIS) 2-3; and San Francisco (MIKE SINGLETARY) 1-5. Football Gophers looking for new coach JOEL MATURI, the athletic director for […]
Posted inArts + Culture
Regina Marie Williams: Actress earns accolades for hard work on the local stage
By Dwight Hobbes Contributing Writer Regina Marie Williams’ ascent to prominence in Twin Cities theater has been one of peerless artistry rightfully acclaimed. It began inconspicuously enough with a stint featured in Mixed Blood Theatre’s popular vehicle, Syl Jones’ Daughters of Africa. Spending requisite time in the trenches, Williams kept herself in work, including a […]
Posted inArts + Culture
Jazz artists among Prince’s favorites in upcoming tour
He didn’t reveal tour itinerary details at the press conference. Yet, by now you know what time it is. Prince is still a powerful force in the music industry. His finger has never left the pulse of American culture. And does he know how to drum up necessary drama, or what? Whenever Prince talks to […]
Posted inArts + Culture
Waiting for “Superman” details the mis-education of the nation
By Donavee Chappell Originally posted 10/21/2010 The Mis-education of the Negro by Carter G. Woodson, first published in 1933, explained the vicious circle that results from mis-educated individuals graduating and then proceeding to teach and mis-educate others. But the book is by no means a study in negation. The author goes to great lengths in […]
Posted inArts + Culture
Local singers give tribute to soul legends
By Vickie Evans-Nash Contributing Writer In the summer of 2005, R&B artist Luther Vandross, most remembered for his uniquely soulful voice, passed away. The following year, Gerald Levert, R&B soloist and member of the trio LeVert, passed away as well. Local artist J. Most says he’s been wanting to do a Gerald Levert revue even […]
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Festival calls for Black audiences to see Black films
By Charles Hallman Staff Writer ‘Ultimate goal is to be premier film festival in Midwest’ pledges founder Since its founding seven years ago, the Twin Cities Black Film Festival’s (TCBFF) main purpose is to provide independent Black filmmakers a platform to showcase their cinema work. Festival founder Natalie Morrow says she constantly hears that Blacks […]
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Spalding, Moran lead jazz to a new era
Onward they go. In the pursuit of musical excellence, there are many major players within our realm. So far, jazz audiences have enjoyed courageous music from artists Esperanza Spalding and Jason Moran. Both have graced us with their presence at the Dakota recently, and we saw firsthand why they are invincible. With her wordless and […]
Posted inOpinion
Mark Dayton is the right choice for governor
By Representatives Jeff Hayden and Bobby Joe Champion Guest Commentators This is an incredibly challenging yet hopeful time for our community. The home foreclosure crisis continues to weaken our communities and displace families. Jobs have been lost and they haven’t come back. Far too many Minnesotans are losing access to basic healthcare coverage. All the […]
Posted inOpinion
The attempt to oust the NAACP president: Why?
The Black “leadership” of Minneapolis continues their efforts to run a mini-plantation. I say to them: Let my people go. These self-proclaimed leaders have been meeting to strategize how to kick Booker T. Hodges out of his office as president of our local NAACP. Mr. Hodges spoke what was on many people’s minds when the […]
Posted inOpinion
Stop the bleaching of Black and Latino voting districts
By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Contributing Commentator Black Americans once again stand at a critical junction in helping to determine the future of the United States of America, and thereby also the future of the world. Fifty million African Americans, with a spending power of one trillion dollars and millions of potential votes, in the […]
Posted inOpinion
U.S. offers peace keeping double standard in Mideast relations
By Frank Erickson Contributing Commentator A recent headline read, “At U.N., Obama tries to keep Mideast peace hopes alive.” So that means violence is bad, violence is counter-productive, right? That is what Obama is saying with his actions at the U.N., in “trying to keep Mideast peace hopes alive,” that the violence is the problem […]
Posted inOpinion
Harlem Children’s Zone shows us what is possible here
Harlem Children’s Zone shows us what is possible here Ask me how I’m doing these days and I’ll tell you that I am absolutely filled with awe and teeming with gratitude because I, along with 11 others from the Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ), just returned from New York City, where we spent three days witnessing […]