By Charles Hallman Staff Writer Initially her goal was to make movies, but instead Pam Grier became an icon by starring in them. “I was very reticent about being an actor,” she explained, “because you act, then you are unemployed, then you act [again]. And it’s subjective: You’re hired by your looks and height. I’m […]
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Posted inArts + Culture, News
This week’s spotlights! June 2-8
State Theatre 805 Hennepin Ave., Mpls., 612-373-5665 or www.hennepintheatredistrict.org Sun., June 12: “Northside: A Twin Cities Community Benefit” Featuring Robert Robinson, Soul Asylum, the Sounds of Blackness, Larry Long, Billy McLaughlin and Sara Renner Proceeds will go to The Minneapolis Foundation, which has set up a North Minneapolis Recovery Fund. Concert time and ticket information […]
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2011 Lynx preview
Shelley Patterson has sat on the bench as a coach for almost two decades. But when the WNBA last season passed a cost-cutting rule to limit the number of coaches on each team, she and other assistants found themselves on the outs. Cheryl Reeve last year hired Patterson as manager of player development and advance […]
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Dallas vs. Miami in the NBA Finals: must-see TV
Two of my all-time favorite TV series growing up were Dallas with J.R. Ewing and Miami Vice with slick Sonny Crockett. You remember how everybody hated J.R.? Well, LeBron James is the J.R. Ewing of these Finals. If you are a connoisseur of NBA basketball, this 2011 season has kept you full with excitement. The […]
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Favor inducted into Hall of Fame
MIKE FAVOR, the former Minneapolis North offensive lineman who went on to become an All-American and lead North Dakota State to three NCAA Division II championships during the mid-1980s, will be inducted into 2011 Divisional Hall of Fame this month. The announcement was made last week by former NFL and University of Mississippi quarterback ARCHIE […]
Posted inOpinion
Twin Cities Black institutions must be preserved
By Al Flowers Guest Commentator I didn’t need a tornado to tell me. Black people need Black institutions. African Americans, the descendants of slaves, are unique in the world, teaches Professor El-Kati. We are one of a kind, with a shared experience unlike any other in the world, brought to the shores of what is […]
Posted inOpinion
Disaster accelerates gentrification of North Minneapolis
THROUGH MY EYES By Ron Edwards The tornado that smashed its way through the northern part of Minneapolis on Sunday, May 22 unleashed what insurance companies call “an act of God.” This gives our dear leaders a chance to unleash Rahm Emanuel’s famously stated “never let a serious crisis go to waste,” using it for […]
Posted inOpinion
Don’t let blind patriotism make you a political chump
VOICES OF THE VILLAGE By Lissa Jones “You’re not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who says it.” — Malcolm X For 394 years (1617 to present), the American endeavor for democracy has demanded our blind patriotism. First, “democracy” stole our names. Then it […]
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Civil War anniversary prompts more battle romance
TRYING MY BEST By Frank Erickson I heard a stand-up comic ask, “How come no one reenacts the Vietnam War?” More than just funny, that is a quite profound question and observation. Maybe it is because with Vietnam, “war” lost a lot of its romance. It’s hard to romanticize Vietnam. It’s just a little too […]
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Friendship Academy of Fine Arts maintains high standards
A critical difference at Friendship Academy of Fine Arts (FAFA), a Minneapolis charter school, is its culture. It is the school’s explicit mission to eliminate the psychological barriers to learning that too often are ignored in traditional schools. A year ago, Friendship Academy partnered with Minneapolis Public Schools and hired an outside consultant firm (Cambridge) […]
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Relief efforts sweep through North Minneapolis
Photos by James L. Stroud, Jr. News Analysis By Mel Reeves Contributing Writer The tornado of 2011 — or the “devastation” — will be remembered for the damage it caused to a swath of the Minneapolis Northside community. But it may also be remembered for the overwhelming response of kindness and generosity by neighbors both […]
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Tornado! Storm rips trail of destruction through North Minneapolis
By James L. Stroud, Contributing Writer, and Stephani Maari Booker, Community Editor North Minneapolis residents are still assessing the extensive damage caused by the twister that tore through that part of the city Sunday afternoon. Several Spokesman-Recorder staffers were in the vicinity when the trees started flying. MSR Contributing Writer/Photographer James L. Stroud, Jr., who […]
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Can Teach For America close the achievement gap?
By Charles Hallman Staff Writer Teach For America (TFA), which recruits “top college students” for a Peace Corps-like two-year teaching stint in low-income communities, claims on their website to be “leading some of the most successful efforts to close the achievement gap in communities nationwide.” They say their teachers are “providing tangible evidence that the […]
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Grandfamily: the condition of being a parent — again
By Judith Hence Contributing Writer Raising our free-spirited children is serious work, but we know that one day they will be the parents and we will have the freedom. Well…almost. Many grandparents and other relatives are becoming parents again — me included. The big picture is that, as of 2010, upwards of 4.9 million children […]
Posted inArts + Culture, News
Former judge recounts sordid sexual history with Clarence Thomas
D.C. Unmasked & Undressed is a memoir. The story of my life includes events, characters and insights related to my miserable childhood, my legal career, and my varied sexual adventures. It can be summarized as: Girl from dysfunctional family meets boy from same… I worked hard and played hard, too. Along the way, and for […]
Posted inArts + Culture, News
This week’s spotlights May 26-June 1
• Bunker’s Music Bar & Grill 761 Washington Ave. N., Mpls., 612-338-8188 or www.bunkersmusic.com Fri., May 27, 9:30 pm: International Reggae Allstars Cover is $7. Sat., May 28, 9:30 pm: The Maxx with special guest London Taylor Cover is $7. Tues., May 31, 9:30 pm: Jay Bee and The Routine Cover is $5. • Wilson […]
Posted inSports
Four signs of spring at the U of M
The University of Minnesota’s spring sports don’t get the same media attention as others usually do. As a result and in the interest of seasonal balance, this week’s AV spotlights four springtime participants. Hassan Mead: back on track health-wise As a freshman and sophomore, Hassan Mead was virtually unbeatable as a runner. However, beginning with […]
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Baseball’s glaring racial divide
Major League Baseball’s average attendance has been on a gradual decline over the last couple of years. The economy obviously gets its share of the blame, but is it possible that since Major League Baseball has turned its back on the Black athlete, that is a factor? Today, less than nine percent of MLB players […]
Posted inSports
Lynx prospects bright in 2011
-Photos courtesy of the Lynx A combination of good draft picks, healthy returning players, and an experienced coaching staff promises to give the Minnesota Lynx a better shot at the crown in the 2011 professional women’s basketball circuit. A veteran and highly respected coaching staff welcomes the best Women’s National Basketball Association players to ever […]
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18th Annual Inner City All-Star Classic coming June 19
[Editor’s note: last week’s “Prep Scene” on the 17th Annual Inner City All-Star Classic included some inaccurate information. This week’s column corrects those errors. Our apologies for any confusion.] Mr. Basketball winner JOE COLEMAN (Hopkins), Pioneer Press Player of the Year ESTAN TYLER, Miss Basketball winner RACHEL BANHAM (Lakeville North), and all-metro guard BRIANNA WILLIAMS […]