By Charles Hallman Staff Writer Ronald Benford, left, and Betty Martin -Photos by Charles Hallman Ronald Benford had been a Minneapolis Convention Center worker for 16 years when he was among several Black workers interviewed in a March 2005 two-part MSR article on job discrimination [“Workers say discrimination rampant at Mpls Convention Center”]. A “probable […]
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Republicans seek drastic cuts in MN Human Rights Department
By Mel Reeves Contributing Writer “They [Republicans] seem intent on taking away the state’s ability to fight for equal rights. We believe that it is morally and ethically wrong,” explained Bobby Joe Champion (DFL-Mpls). He was responding to Minnesota House and Senate Republicans, who last week passed the Public Safety Omnibus Bill that included deep […]
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Education vital to transition from prison to community
News Analysis By Dwight Hobbes Contributing Writer Revolving-door imprisonment has characterized America’s criminal justice system as long as America has had a criminal justice system. The Sonic Program, a component of 180 Degrees, Inc. in Minneapolis, works to change that. And does it in an interesting way. Sonic Program Director Hillary Sorin sees art as […]
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Latin America: third side of the Black slave triangle
By James L, Stroud, Jr. Contributing Writer Professor Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, Jr. (seated front left) and the Merengue singers in the Dominican Republic in Black in Latin America -Photo courtesy of PBS Over the years and in a series of documentaries, Harvard University Scholar/Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. has taken PBS television viewers on […]
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A farewell tribute to ‘Mother Samuels’
By James L. Stroud, Jr. Contributing Writer Elizabeth Samuels, a.k.a. “Moms,” “Mother Liz,” “Mother Samuels” or “Queen Mother Liz,” is a native Minnesotan who has lived in the state for all 79 years of her life. She grew up in South Minneapolis and currently resides in North Minneapolis. In the predominantly Black community village we […]
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Process concerns aside, Black Economic Summit delivered the right message
MELLANEOUS By Mel Reeves I attended Governor Mark Dayton’s Black Economic Summit a few weeks ago, and like most of the folks there I didn’t receive an invite. And to be fair, I still am not sure that it was an invitation-only meeting, but that was the rumor. Speaking of rumors, I heard quite a […]
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Can Minnesota afford another stadium?
THROUGH MY EYES By Ron Edwards Tuesday’s April 5, 2011 edition of the Star Tribune reported an unveiling of the legislation for a new Minnesota Vikings Stadium (“Vikings stadium bill skirts vote on sales tax”) that will allow a local government to increase sales taxes for the project without taking it to the voters first. […]
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The new Democratic tactic: run, hide and cry
ISSUES & NEW PERSPECTIVES By Lucky Rosenbloom I have to ask this question: What kind of messages are Democrats sending Black people, in particular youth, these days in times of debate and being outnumbered? Let’s start with Brother Keith Ellison. Keith must have learned a lot from hanging out with Hillary Clinton. I call it […]
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Building a multicultural NAACP
LITTLE BY LITTLE By Matthew Little An early April edition of JET magazine contained a feature news item titled “The New NAACP.” Its premise is that this century-old organization that has been unquestionably a pillar of strength for Black people since slavery has become (or is rapidly becoming) a multicultural organization. The general tone of […]
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J. California Cooper novel a tale of Black family tragedy, triumph
By Arleta Little Contributing Writer “Sometimes life curves on you. Sometimes we follow the curve. Sometimes we don’t.” Life Is Short but Wide, the latest novel from J. California Cooper, continues her career as a masterful storyteller crafting tales that bring the triumphs and heartaches of the human drama to high relief. In this tale, […]
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Omar Sosa, Robert Glasper among today’s jazz achievers
Pianist Omar Sosa will be performing at the Dakota April 27-28. -Photo courtesy of www.melodia.com Check out this link: watch?v=ZJsu3pCVkVc I have always been an achiever. I’m the first person in my family to graduate from college. Today, even though Derek Jeter struck out and the Twins won the game 5-4, Jeter reminds me of […]
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This Week’s Spotlights
Cabooze 917 Cedar Ave., Mpls., 612-338-6425 or www.cabooze.com Sat., Apr. 30, 9 pm: Rocky Diamonds a.k.a. Young Rocky and Toussaint Morrison with Crunchy Kids, The Blend, Lazlo Supreme, Don Royal and PhoneticOnew/Moonwater Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. The Playwrights’ Center 2301 E. Franklin Ave., Mpls., 612-332-7481 x10, info@pwcenter.org or www.pwcenter.org Apr. 10-24: Glyph […]
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The pros torch Augusta, but Tiger just can’t win
Charl Schwartzel of South Africa shot a final round 66, the best of the day, and birdied the last four holes on Sunday at Augusta National to capture his first Masters by two shots. It was an incredible Masters. However, Augusta National, since it was Tiger-proofed years ago to 7,435 feet, no longer humbles the […]
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Lynx fans, coach rejoice in 2011 draft picks
When you have the top overall pick in any draft, especially a draft that clearly has the best player in America, the choice is so obvious. Yet not until Maya Moore’s name was called first Monday afternoon in the 2011 WNBA Draft could Minnesota Lynx fans finally stop being like Whitney Houston — “Waiting to […]
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The athletes among the Black 100
COLUMBUS SALLEY, an accomplished historian and author, ranks the most influential 100 Black people in America in his book The BLACK 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential African-Americans Past and Present. Among the 100 are 14 who have exhibited extraordinary athletic prowess in their life experience. The REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. is […]
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Prep Scene
Marquette University point guard ANGEL ROBINSON (St. Paul Central) and University of Iowa shooting guard KACHINE ALEXANDER (Benilde-St. Margaret’s) were dominant players during their prep and collegiate basketball careers. Now both hope to continue that dominance at the pro level, coming back to the state in which both learned their craft. Robinson, who led St. […]
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Two local prep stars are coming home as pros
By Charles Hallman Staff Writer and Onika Nicole Craven MSR Intern Two former Twin Cities prep stars were the only Minnesotans selected in Monday’s WNBA Draft. Angel Robinson (St. Paul Central) was the 22nd overall pick by New York but was later traded to Minnesota in one of two “pre-arranged trade deals” completed by the […]
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Making the African American community whole again
I just couldn’t figure out why my dishes have been coming out so dirty lately. My answer came in an article in the Star Tribune (”Dishwashers Have a Dirty Little Secret,” Feb. 4). It turns out that the government has banned the use of phosphates, an additive in dishwasher soap that was chiefly responsible for […]
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Governor promises swift action following Black Economic Summit
By Charles Hallman Staff Writer -Photos by Charles Hallman Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton told African American leaders last week that he would “move swiftly” to begin addressing the disparities in employment, housing and criminal justice currently facing Black Minnesotans. “I promise that we will move forward, and we will move forward together,” Dayton pledged at […]
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MN Senate pinches poor, disabled
By Christina Wessel Contributing Writer The health and human services omnibus bill recently released by the state Senate cuts $1.6 billion from general fund base spending for the FY 2012-13 biennium. The bill also makes $268 million in cuts to the Health Care Access Fund and $23 million in cuts to federal funding for Temporary […]