As the nation marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11, MSR looks back at our archives to reveal how our reporting prioritized civil rights, anti-war analysis, and local community care during a historic tragedy.
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Posted inAnother View
UST’s full-speed climb to Division I
Pushed out of Division III for being too dominant, the University of St. Thomas fast-tracked its way to full Division I status. As national exposure grows, MSR examines the numbers behind the program’s athletic success and its diversity efforts.
Posted inBlack Business Spotlight
$INZU founder marks five years modernizing Ankara fashion
Temilola Okunola started her fashion brand $INZU at 19 with no roadmap. Five years later, she’s modernizing Ankara style, expanding to the Mall of America, and proving that faith and consistency pay off.
Posted inMSR In the News
MSR Publisher Tracey Williams-Dillard talks Black history and Gen Z on AMPERS podcast
From printing paper editions as a kid to leading a statewide digital newsroom, MSR CEO and Publisher Tracey Williams-Dillard joined AMPERS radio to discuss 92 years of family legacy, mentoring young Black journalists, and keeping community history alive.
Posted inLocal & State
The Target boycott isn’t over, Minnesota organizers sayÂ
What started as a corporate pushback in 2025 has turned into a permanent lifestyle shift. Minnesota organizers and Everyday shoppers speak on why the Target boycott is far from over and why recent missteps show corporate DEI cuts have real-world consequences.
Posted inSister Spokesman
Sister Spokesman event asks how Black communities can shape the AI era
At a recent Sister Spokesman event in North Minneapolis, tech leaders and residents gathered to discuss how Black communities can move past reacting to artificial intelligence and start actively shaping its future.
Posted inEducation
Dr. Artika R. Tyner inspires the next generation at the National WWII Museum
An all-Black battalion of women cleared millions of delayed wartime letters to keep American troops connected. Now, St. Paul historian Dr. Artika R. Tyner is ensuring their courage is never forgotten.
Posted inJobs & Notices
Now Hiring: Digital Publisher | Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder is hiring a Digital Publisher to oversee day-to-day digital output, manage the editorial calendar and help shape community-driven journalism at a 92-year-old Black media institution. Full-time and part-time options available.
Posted inBusiness
AI won’t take your job overnight, but it will change it, local strategist says
Local strategist Dwayne Dixon reveals why judgment and lived experience matter more than ever, and how Black professionals can turn tech shifts into real leverage.
Posted inEvents
Black business pioneers inducted into inaugural Minnesota Black Business Hall of Fame
“History can’t wait.” The Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce inducted its inaugural class into the Minnesota Black Business Hall of Fame, honoring trailblazers who built the foundation for local economic power.
Posted inNews
Dr. Josie Johnson reflects on Cecil Newman, the Black press and a life of advocacy
As the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder marks 92 years, civil rights icon Dr. Josie Johnson shares why controlling our own narratives remains the ultimate form of advocacy.
Posted inMSR In the News
In MSR’s 92nd year, publisher and CEO reflects on her grandfather’s legacy
MSR turns 92. CEO Tracey Williams-Dillard reflects on grandfather Cecil Newman’s founding of Minnesota’s Black press legacy.
Posted inFrom the Publisher
Juneteenth is a day of joy, and a day of reckoning
MSR CEO and Publisher Tracey Williams-Dillard reflects on the meaning of Juneteenth in a political moment that is testing the durability of hard-won freedoms, and reaffirms the Spokesman-Recorder’s commitment to bearing witness to Black life in all of its complexity, grief and glory.
Posted inYour Voice Matters
Your Voice Matters: The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder Wants to Know What You Want to Read
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder has launched a Reader Survey and wants your feedback to help shape the future of our news coverage. The survey is open through June 22 and only takes a few minutes to complete.
Posted inLocal & State
Celebration of Life Services Announced for Larry Fitzgerald Sr. “The Original”
The family of Larry Fitzgerald Sr. has announced visitation on Friday, June 12 and a funeral service on Saturday, June 13 in Minneapolis to honor the beloved MSR sportswriter known to many as “The Original.”
Posted inLocal & State
Rest in Power: Larry Fitzgerald Sr., MSR Sportswriter and Champion of Black Athletes, Dead at 71
Larry Fitzgerald Sr., beloved Minnesota sportswriter and longtime Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder columnist who spent more than 45 years advocating for Black athletes and coaches, has died at age 71.
Posted inJobs & Notices
Now Hiring: Executive Assistant | Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder is hiring an Executive Assistant to serve as primary support to the CEO and Publisher across the Spokesman-Recorder and its nonprofit arm Sister Spokesman, managing calendars, projects, communications and events at a 92-year-old Black media institution.
Posted inJobs & Notices
Now Hiring: Sales Representatives | Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder is hiring a Sales Representative to oversee advertising and sponsorship sales across print, digital, podcasts and major events at a 92-year-old Black media institution. Commission up to 20% with flexible work-from-home options.
Posted inEducation
Leticia Alvarez – MSR 2026 Grad
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder congratulates Leticia Alvarez on earning her Bachelor of Science in Special Education with honors from Mankato University, completing a journey years in the making as a first-generation college student, mother and future MSR leader.
Posted inEducation
Tiffany Johnson – 2026 MSR Grad
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder congratulates contributor Tiffany Johnson on earning her MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, completing four years of graduate school while working full time at Penumbra Theatre.