The Sabathanites kept kids off the streets in a turbulent era The Twin Cities boasts some of the country’s top entertainers: Prince, The Time, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and “Sounds of Blackness.” Every name is well known locally and worldwide. But there was another local group that, if you were raised in Minneapolis, was […]
Special Editions
Each year the MSR recognizes and celebrates MLK Jr. Day, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Juneteenth and Black Music Month. In this space, find stories pertaining to each special edition as categorized.
Posted inMLK Legacy Section, Special Editions
2018 MLK Calendar of Events
Listed below are MLK, Jr. events in the Twin Cities and beyond. If you know of an event that we missed, let us know in the comment section! Thursday, January 11 6 pm, Mayoral MLK Reception, AICHO, 202 West 2nd Street, Duluth A chance for the community to come together in unity and celebrate diversity. This […]
Posted inSister Spokesman
Legacy Boat Cruise 2017: Revelers party on the St. Croix for a worthy cause
The forecast may have called for scattered showers, but for the third year in a row, the rain was held at bay as the Legacy Boat Cruise set sail for a four-hour cruise down the St. Croix River on August 5. The cruise, sponsored by the Medtronic Foundation, featured a buffet-style meal with salad, lasagna, […]
Posted inBlack History Month
Hidden history reveals Pullman porters’ link to Black Press
Conclusion of a four-part series In this final installment of our series about African Americans who fought for dignity and equal rights on the U.S. railways as railroad sleeping car porters and maids, we explore how the porters, traveling by rail across the country, were instrumental in spreading news about African American communities and starting […]
Posted inEducation, Special Editions
My father and uncle taught me to follow my heart
Molubah Seley is a 2017 Cecil E. Newman Scholarship recipient. His scholarship-winning essay appears below. “I’m not mad, just disappointed.” If you’ve ever had someone say those words to you, you’ll recall the hurt in letting them down. Dealing with one person is tough; how about your entire family, church and community? I’ve been through […]
Posted inNews
Hidden history: Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters
First of a three-part story Related story: Women helped build porters’ Brotherhood This is the first installment of a story about African Americans who fought for dignity and equal rights on the U.S. railways as railroad sleeping car porters and maids. Jim Crow prevented many of the porters from working in their trained professions as doctors, lawyers […]
Posted inPhoto Galleries
A Flashman flashback for Black History Month
In the accompanying photo, Dave Winfield, the Major League Baseball Hall-of-Famer who was born and raised in St. Paul, signs copies of two of his books donated to the Givens Collection at his alma mater under the watchful eyes of (l-r) Phebe Givens, widow of the late Archie Givens, Sr.; the late Arline Winfield, David’s […]
Posted inOpinion
Fueled by passion: George Washington Carver played an important role in today’s bioeconomy
Throughout the month of February, Americans celebrate Black History Month and remember the significant contributions historic figures, including Martin Luther King, Jr. and many more in the African American community, have provided our country. The impact of their legacies continues to resonate today, benefiting generation after generation. Many of these contributions are well-known, but many […]
Posted inBlack History Month, Special Editions
Gwendolyn Brooks: the first African American to win Pulitzer
A towering figure in the field of 20th-century poetry is the late Gwendolyn Brooks, who touched millions of all races with her eloquence. The first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize, she remains one of the most influential poets of modern times. Brooks (1917-2000) was born in Topeka, Kansas and moved with her family to […]
Posted inBlack History Month
The man who created an army of Black engineers
WASHINGTON — Most people have never heard of Eugene M. DeLoatch, but all over the world, they have seen the fruits of his labor, across the United States, in Puerto Rico, the Middle East, Japan, Germany, Korea, across Europe, Africa and South America. The people he trained have built buildings and other structures, molded rivers, solved […]
Posted inBlack History Month, Special Editions
Shirlee Callender is proof you can flourish at any age
Shirlee Callender has enjoyed a life of many good things, and she has many more to look forward to. Callender, a mother of three, grandmother of six, and great grandmother of two, was born and raised in Des Moines, IA, and came to Minnesota in 1951 right after high school. Things didn’t come easy at […]
Posted inBlack History Month
Pioneering local Black doctor tells of his long journey to medicine
Charles Edward Crutchfield, Sr. was born in a small semi-rural town in Jasper, Alabama, a town of 8,500 people, about 2,500 of whom were Black. But he was inspired to be a doctor at the early age of six and became a pioneering Minnesota physician. Unlike other parts of the U.S., the South did not […]
Posted inBlack History Month
‘Hidden Figures’ author honored to shine light on untold Black history
Black history and U.S. history are synonymous, said best-selling author Margot Lee Shetterly. Her book, Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race, made the bestseller lists last year, and the movie of the same name released on Christmas Day has struck box […]
Posted inSpecial Editions
A Black History month special: Honoring the accomplishments of Minnesota’s Black medical community past and present
In celebration of Black History Month, a presentation giving honor to Minnesota’s Black medical community past and present will be held on Saturday February 18, 2017 from 11 am to 1:30 pm at the Hennepin County Library, downtown Minneapolis campus, in the Doty Board Room on the second floor. This presentation is free and open […]
Posted inSpecial Editions
2017 Black History Month Calendar (updated)
Find local events in celebration of Black History Month below sorted by date. Do you know of an event that we missed? Let us know by leaving information in the comment section or by emailing msrnewsonline@spokesman-recorder.com. Happy Black History Month! Thursday, February 2 Black Light: A Soulful Embrace of Love and Life, Penumbra Theatre, 270 N. Kent […]
Posted inBlack History Month
Author to children: Read Black history to find your purpose
Dr. Artika R. Tyner, attorney at law, is living proof that lawyers are people, too. In a spirit of altruistic activism, she has launched a drive to fund the creation and publication of Making A Difference: The Story of Miss Freedom Fighter, Esquire, a children’s book that indeed makes a difference. Its purpose is to […]
Posted inSpecial Editions
Myrlie Evers-Williams keynoted MLK Breakfast
Medgar Evers’ widow recalled the sacrifices of her generation There is a long tradition of celebration for lost loved ones and people who have done honorary work throughout their lives and continue to get recognized and celebrated. In honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Minneapolis Convention Center hosted the 27th Annual Breakfast […]
Posted inSpecial Editions
2017 MLK Calendar of Events
Thursday, January 12 6:30-9 pm, Mayor’s MLK Reception, Zeitgeist Arts Cafe, 222 E. Superior St. Duluth This event is in conjunction with the 2017 Twin Ports’ MLK Tribute events. Visit http://duluthnaacp.org/mlk for more information. Thursday, January 13 10:30 am, — 12:30 pm, Books For Africa, Books For Africa Warehouse, 635 Prior Ave. N., Suite 100, St. […]
Posted inMLK Legacy Section
Now is the time to bring dreams to fruition
By Nekima Levy-Pounds Civil rights attorney and candidate for mayor of Minneapolis My dream for the community is to see us, as a people, rise above the limitations that have been imposed upon us in the state of Minnesota and in this nation. Far too often, our potential for greatness is hidden behind […]
Posted inSpecial Editions
Peace, love and unity for all
By Chadwick Phillips Founder of production company Avant Garde My dream for my community is for us to be in peace, love and unity. I truly feel that for all of us that is what life was intended for. I spoke with my father who lived through the Civil Rights Movement in NYC during the ‘60s. […]