Charles Hallman travels to Kansas City to cover the Minnesota Lynx preseason game against the Nigerian National Team and finds a growing city where Black entrepreneurs and community voices are thriving.
Black community
Posted inBooks
The Black lawyer history forgotÂ
Norma Adams-Wade explores the forgotten legacy of attorney Joseph Edwin Wiley Sr., founder of Dallas’s historic Mill City community, through the unpublished memoir of 105-year-old Pearl Etta McVey-Guthrie.
Posted inOpinion
We must rekindle our relationship with Earth
Rev. Dr. Heber Brown III reflects on Earth Day, environmental justice and the deep agrarian roots of Black people, drawing on family memory and the legacy of George Washington Carver, Hazel Johnson and others.
Posted inEvents
The Black Parachute Is Giving Away Free Journals for Black Men Across the Twin Cities
Black Parachute free journals for Black men are available at pop-up events across St. Paul from April 11 through May 23 at no cost as part of a mental wellness mission.
Posted inBusiness
Elam named 40 Under 40, B Suite for Black professionals in Minnesota
The B Suite helps Black professionals in Minnesota build community, connections and career opportunities.
Posted inMusic
Kanye West Seeks Forgiveness from the Black Community in Wall Street Journal Apology
Ye issued a public apology to the Black community in a Wall Street Journal ad, addressing mental health, accountability, and actions that caused harm.
Posted inOpinion
Minaj’s sellout exposes out-of-touch Black celebrities
Nicki Minaj’s praise of Donald Trump and JD Vance at Turning Point USA revealed how celebrity access can drift far from the realities facing Black communities. The moment raises urgent questions about power, faith, and accountability.
Posted inNational
The Best Things to Happen to Black People in 2025
The best things to happen to Black people in 2025 showcase excellence, progress, and joy across culture, sports, education, and community.
Posted inFinances FYI
How Black Families Can Give Back to the Community While Building Wealth
Black philanthropy extends beyond donations. Through mentorship, charitable giving, and supporting Black owned businesses, families can build community wealth and create lasting impact for future generations.
Posted inLocal & State
Target’s DE&I pullback leaves Black local suppliers in limbo
Target’s billion-dollar DEI and supplier diversity push helped some Twin Cities Black entrepreneurs secure national shelf space, jobs and new revenue streams. With the retailer now pulling back from those equity commitments, Black-owned businesses and community partners are feeling the ripple effects in hiring, contracts and long-term wealth building, and are left questioning how durable corporate promises to Black communities really are.
Posted inLocal & State
Jellybean Johnson: A legacy of joy and genius
Jellybean Johnson was thunder on stage and gentle at home, a drummer, guitarist and producer whose joy lit up Minneapolis for decades. Loved ones and musical peers recall his role in shaping the Minneapolis Sound, mentoring “nephews” in the scene and building the Minneapolis Sound Museum to keep the culture alive for the next generation.
Posted inSister Spokesman
Spokesman-Recorder aims to expand statewide with Give to the Max campaign
Spokesman-Recorder has launched a Give to the Max Day campaign to raise fifty thousand dollars to expand its community programs and Sister Spokesman events across Minnesota. Early giving is now open.
Posted inPolitics
Disbelief a common reaction to Carter’s loss in St. Paul
In the days after St. Paul’s mayoral election, disbelief rippled through the blocks of Frogtown and Midway. Soon-to-be-former Mayor Melvin Carter, a two-term incumbent with deep roots and strong name recognition, had lost to Kaohly Vang Her, a legislator who entered the race barely 10 weeks earlier. To some, it was a political upset; to […]
Posted inMSR In the News
Carrying the MSR’s story forward
The MSR Legacy Yacht Cruise honored 91 years of storytelling and Black community with a night of music, joy, and connection on the St. Croix.
Posted inOpinion
A seven-word phrase Black men should give up
“That’s why you don’t have a man.” In this commentary, Lawrence Ware calls out this tired, toxic phrase and why it’s time for Black men to do better.
Posted inEvents
MSR joins Doors Open Minneapolis 2025
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder is one of 75 featured sites for Doors Open Minneapolis 2025, offering visitors a chance to explore its historic headquarters and learn about its legacy of truth-telling and community power.
Posted inBlack Business Spotlight
Local fashion icon has global mindset
Richard Moody is a globally connected show producer, model, and community advocate known for his commitment to creating space for Black artists, youth, and creatives to shape their own path in the fashion industry.
Posted inEducation
Bringing Black studies to Black communities
Stanford Professor Adam Banks regularly flies from California to Cleveland to teach free African American studies classes at UnBar, a Black-owned coffee shop, to create a safe space for Black people to engage with their history, culture, and identity.
Supported
Posted inHelp Is Here
Recovery from substance abuse needs peer and community support
The Twin Cities Recovery Project is working to address the racial disparities in drug-related arrests and substance use disorder outcomes in Minnesota by offering resources and training to people of color, while also providing harm reduction services to individuals experiencing homelessness and addiction.
Posted inBlack History
How Are You Feeling Mentally? A Barbershop Conversation for Black Men
The “How Are You Feeling Mentally? A Black Men’s Panel” event on February 23, 2025, at 825 Arts in Saint Paul, MN, will feature open dialogue on mental health and well-being in Black men’s lives, including topics such as fronting and emotional vulnerability, intimacy and connection, and breaking stigmas.