A Macalester lecture on transatlantic bondage explored the lives of enslaved Africans in Spain, Santo Domingo and Puerto Rico through new historical research.
Education
A space for local and national stories about issues surrounding education, especially as they relate to African Americans.
Posted inLet them Rise
Culturally responsive teaching
Let Them Rise: A Blueprint for Educating Black Boys examines how culturally responsive teaching affirms identity, strengthens relationships and improves educational outcomes.
Posted inBlack History
Fifty years of Black progress and paradox
Black progress and racial disparities Minnesota reflect decades of advancement tempered by persistent wealth, education and justice gaps.
Posted inEducation
Advocates urge statewide ban on school seclusion rooms
Minnesota seclusion rooms remain legal in 50 districts, with advocates urging lawmakers to ban the practice after a new Disability Law Center report revealed the conditions inside.
Posted inBlack History
We are rooted in resilience – What Black history teaches us in a shifting world
As Black History Month reaches its centennial, this reflection explores what it means to remain rooted in history while shaping a more just future.
Posted inBlack History
Rooted in history, rising in STEAM
Black Americans remain underrepresented in STEAM fields. These four trailblazers show how representation, access, and mentorship can inspire future innovators.
Posted inEducation
The need for more Black male teachers
Black male teachers are critical to the academic, emotional, and social success of Black boys, yet they remain severely underrepresented in classrooms nationwide.
Posted inEducation
Trump freezes MN child care funds; providers strapped
A Minnesota child care funding freeze could disrupt care for thousands of children as providers warn of closures, layoffs, and family instability.
Posted inEducation
Is college still worth it?
Minnesota students are using winter break to reflect on whether college is still worth the cost, debt, and uncertainty surrounding career outcomes.
Posted inEducation
Minneapolis parents, teachers demand ICE leave after targeting schools
ICE at Minneapolis schools has prompted educators and families to demand federal agents leave the city after the killing of Renee Good.
Posted inEducation
In search of opportunity, young Black Minnesotans are leaving the state
Young Black Minnesotans are leaving the state for college and careers, seeking cultural access, professional growth, and creative opportunity they say is limited at home.
Posted inEducation
Minneapolis School Finder Fair Helps Families Navigate School Choices for 2026 and Beyond
The Minneapolis School Finder Fair on January 10 offers families a one-stop opportunity to explore public, charter, magnet, and private school options ahead of key 2026–27 enrollment deadlines.
Posted inEducation
Monkey Sounds, “White Power” and the N-Word: Racial Harassment Against Black Students Ignored Under Trump
A ProPublica investigation finds federal civil rights enforcement has stalled as racial harassment of Black students continues unchecked in U.S. schools.
Posted inLocal & State
Our Most-Read, Most-Shared, Most-Impactful Stories of 2025
s we enter 2026, the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder reflects on the 15 stories that defined 2025, from urgent breaking news to culture, community, and accountability reporting.
Posted inLet them Rise
Going back to ‘the village’
Black boys succeed when surrounded by a strong village of care. This column explores why rebuilding community support remains essential to education, healing, and long-term success.
Posted inEducation
Alternative schools offer learners a second chance — and more
Minnesota alternative education programs offer flexible, personalized pathways that help students recover credits, stay engaged, and work toward high school graduation.
Posted inNothing but the Truth
Resist MAGA’s efforts to disempower Black women
The rising unemployment rate for Black women reveals deeper political forces shaping labor, power, and leadership in 2025, with clear implications for Minnesota and beyond.
Sponsored
Benjamin E. Mays school adopts Afrocentric focus
Benjamin E. Mays School will launch an Afrocentric education program in 2026, centering culture, identity, and the historic legacy of Saint Paul’s Rondo community.
Posted inEducation
Rondo elder urges action on literacy
Rondo community elder Mary K. Boyd has dedicated her life to education and child development, drawing on decades of experience as a teacher, administrator and community advocate. Born and raised in the historic Rondo neighborhood, Boyd built a career shaped by connection, mentorship and a belief that every adult has the power to help children […]
Posted inEducation
A system under strain Minnesota parents wait months for child care support
Minnesota families are waiting months for child care assistance as scholarship and CCAP waitlists surge. Delayed support leaves parents without affordable, stable early learning options.