Vol 92 / Edition 29 - Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

Midwest roots of infamous Dred Scott decision

By Tom Emery

he controversial Dred Scott case of 1857 is one of the most infamous legal decisions in U.S. history, a landmark moment in the national debate over slavery. Few realize that Scott once lived at Fort Snelling in St. Paul, in present-day Minnesota.

The Supreme Court decision on Scott determined that Black people could not be U.S. citizens, and therefore had no right to sue in federal court. The majority opinion, written by Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, became a flashpoint in the national slavery debate.

The events leading to the case began in the early 1830s. Scott, a slave from St. Louis, was sold to Dr. John Emerson, a civilian doctor who in 1833 received a U.S. Army appointment as assistant surgeon. Later that year, Emerson was assigned to Fort Armstrong at Rock Island, Illinois, where he served until May 1836.

“Dred Scott came with Emerson as his valet,” said Virgil Mayberry of Rock Island, an authority on Black history. “That’s what they were called at times, rather than slaves. He was illiterate, but he was not dumb. He assisted Emerson with surgery, among other things.”

Two factors should have entitled Scott to his freedom. Not only did the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 prohibit slavery

between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, but slavery was also barred under the Illinois Constitution.

However, Scott did not sue for his freedom, for reasons that remain unclear.

While most sources report Scott as an Illinois resident, Mayberry disputes that claim based on his own research.

“Dred Scott actually built a log cabin and homesteaded a piece of property near the I-74 bridge in what is today Bettendorf,

Iowa,” said Mayberry. “Emerson owned the land, and Scott was farming it for him. I don’t know that Dred really ever lived in Illinois.”

Bettendorf is one of the communities that make up the Quad Cities region, divided by the Mississippi River, which includes Rock Island and Moline, Illinois, and Davenport, Iowa.

Emerson was later assigned to Fort Snelling in the Wisconsin Territory until October

Families priced out of phone calls at county jails

ous five cents per minute at Hennepin County, Adama said.

In county jails like Sherburne, incarcerated people rarely earn meaningful wages, often only pennies per hour if they work at all, meaning families must shoulder most communication costs themselves.

When Adama’s partner calls with $1 on the line, the couple have just over five minutes to talk. At Hennepin County, that same dollar would allow for 20 minutes. Adama, now a single mother, said she cannot afford substantial calls because of the price along with $3 fees.

From

Black history to global struggle and the work ahead

acations are times that hold special meaning for Black Americans. The chance to see new places and enjoy time with family and friends relieves some of the weight that we carry every day. Whether it is a cruise, a beach trip, or a flight to a distant city, that freedom of movement is one of the symbols of the larger freedoms won since 1865.

Stories of Josephine Baker and James Baldwin in Paris have taken on mythological importance, reflecting the ways the pressure of American racism can be escaped, even if only for a few days or weeks.

Recently, historian Gerald Horne emphasized the construction of the Black Radical Tradition as a means of connecting with the African continent and the diaspora to advance the struggle for human rights. Leaders such as Henry McNeal Turner, Mary McLeod Bethune, Paul Robeson and W.E.B. Du Bois opened new doors for liberation through relationships with Aimé Césaire, Léopold Senghor, Miriam Makeba and Kwame Nkrumah, among many others.

After the successful campaign to liberate South Africa and elect Nelson Mandela as the nation’s first president of a free society, attention to these international partnerships has faltered. Icons including Randall Robinson, Bill Fletcher, Angela Davis and Assata Shakur laid a foundation for contemporary Black leadership that too often misses

opportunities to expand the roles African American institutions can play in global society.

At the heart of this absence is an unresolved assessment of the impact of Barack Obama as a world leader and cultural icon. Most insights into Obama’s rise as a transnational figure through Illinois politics focus on the fictional creation of Black American presidents in films such as “Deep Impact” and television shows like “24.”

Almost no one mentions the importance of Kofi Annan as secretary-general of the United Nations, despite his critical role in bridging global leadership from Mandela to Obama. Annan’s achievements deserve sustained study: shifting the institution from a focus on peace through negotiations among European nations and the Security Council to

By Jasmine McBride Editor

any families with incarcerated loved ones rely on phone calls to sustain connection, show support, and send love, but the price of these calls can make it difficult to do so. Katie Adama’s partner was recently transferred from Hennepin County Jail to Sherburne County Jail. Adama now only speaks to him for five to 10 minutes each day, as it’s all they can afford.

At the new facility, in-state phone calls are 16 cents per minute, much higher than the previ-

“For families trying to stay connected, this increase is financially punishing and functionally limits communication with loved ones,” she said. “For many, the cost is so high that regular contact becomes impossible.”

The recent Federal Communications Commission decision rolling back nationwide rate caps for jail and prison phone calls could be a factor in this, making it even more expensive for families in Minnesota’s county jails to stay connected with incarcerated loved ones even though state prisons already offer free calls.

“I only have a certain amount of income right now, and now it’s just really tough,” she said. “[At Hennepin] I would put $4 on there and that would last us like two days. Now this place, I’m putting $10 to $20 a day. I can’t even afford that.”

Going from being able to talk for hours to just minutes has affected both the incarcerated person and their family on the outside.

“The phone calls become really almost like a luxury to talk to our families,” Adama said. “This is the way we talk to our families, to support their mental health and prepare for reintegration.”

Phone calls between inmates and families improve mo-

■ See JAIL

hen a 17-yearold faced consequences for a school-related incident, they expected the cold formalities of the court system. Instead, through Ramsey County’s Reimagining Justice for Youth (RJY) initiative, they joined a restorative circle, a structured space where they could take accountability, repair harm, and learn skills to avoid future mistakes.

"It was better than I expect-

ed," the youth said through their circle keeper, Juliette Mitchell of Generation 2 Generation. "I learned to be more careful, improved many skills, and now I know who to trust.

I’m on track to graduate and join the military. I hope other young people can have the same opportunity."

Since July 2021, RJY has been reshaping how Ramsey County responds to youth justice cases. Instead of relying solely on an adversarial legal system, the initiative employs collaborative review teams: prosecutors, public

defenders, and trained community members who consider the needs of the youth involved, the people harmed, and the underlying factors that contribute to legal system involvement. Additionally, RJY utilizes partnerships with organizations like Generation2Generation, Face2Face, Northeast Youth and Family Services, Restorative Justice Community Action, Legal Rights Center, and Center for Multicultural Mediation to meet their objective: involving the community that is

Local Black historic landmarks too often go unnoticed

We restore this heritage during Black History Month

By Lizzy Nyoike Contributing Writer

Many drive past community centers, theaters, and historic landmarks in the Twin Cities area without knowing the stories behind them. Yet these historic spaces are rooted in African American history, resilience, and stories of leadership that have helped shape the Twin Cities today.

Minnesota’s African American history began with fur traders and laborers who developed lasting relationships with Indigenous nations. In the early 1800s, Black settlers made their way to the region seeking stability, economic opportunity, and freedom. Even as racism shaped where people could live and work, African Americans laid a foundation that would grow into strong communities across the Twin Cities.

As the Black population increased in the late 1900s during the Great Migration, African Americans began occupying neighborhoods, churches, businesses, and organizations that became central to daily life. These settings were not only for survival but also spaces for education, culture and community. In most cases, they were created because Black residents were excluded from other public spaces.

In the early 1930s, Rondo Avenue had become the heart of the Black community. By the 1950s, about 85% of St. Paul’s African American population lived in the neighborhood. Rondo was more than a neighborhood; it was a cultural and economic center where African Americans built wealth and raised families. In the 1950s, the Rondo community was significantly impacted during the construction of Interstate 94, which was built directly through Rondo. More than 700 African American families were displaced and businesses destroyed. The neighborhood was permanently divided. While the physical neighborhood was divided, its legacy remains an important part of St. Paul’s history.

“I want to give people an idea that in some of these places there were literally homes and streets, and that’s important to our history,” White said. “This is about trying to keep history alive.”

White believes the tours help broaden public under-

"When we talk about Black history here, we’re really talking about St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Minnesota history.”

Local historian Frank White has spent more than seven years leading Rondo history tours to help residents understand what once existed. Using historic maps and research, he helps people visualize the neighborhood that stood before Interstate 94.

standing of the neighborhood’s past.

“When we talk about Black history here, we’re really talking about St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Minnesota history,” he said. White added that many young people never learn this history in school, making community sto-

rytelling even more important. Community spaces played a significant role in supporting African American residents during times of growth and displacement. One is the secondlargest neighborhood center in the Rondo community, the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center. Founded in 1929, the space was established to serve African Americans when segregation limited education, health care, and social services for Black families.

Named after Hallie Quinn Brown, an educator, activist, and civil rights advocate, the community center became a trusted place for families to gather and grow. It offered early childhood education, youth and senior programs, basic needs assistance, and community resources that were often unavailable elsewhere.

The impact of Hallie Q. Brown Community Center helped shape civic engagement, education, and cultural life in St. Paul. It influenced how African Americans participated in and contributed to the broader community. Today it continues to serve the community each year.

African American leadership in the Twin Cities also shaped civil rights efforts locally and nationally. Roy Wilkins became one of the most influential civil rights leaders in the Twin Cities as longtime leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) from 1949 to 1977. His work helped advance desegregation, voting rights, and equal protection under the law. The Roy Wilkins Auditorium stands as a memorial and reminder of his impact in Minnesota’s connection to the national Civil Rights Movement.

Arts and culture have also played a major role in shaping the Twin Cities. The Penumbra Theatre Company, founded in St. Paul in 1976, became a nationally recognized space for Black storytelling. Penumbra provided opportunities for Black playwrights, actors and directors at a time when their voices were excluded from mainstream theater. The company helped influence the arts while remaining rooted in the local community.

“At Penumbra, we use storytelling as a way to grow empathy, to address false narratives, and to practice the essential work of perspectivetaking, so that we can begin to

see one another beyond our own self-interest,” said Sarah Bellamy, Penumbra Theatre Company president.

Cultural spaces like Penumbra highlight how African American history is not only about struggle but also about creativity, expression, and community healing.

Across Minneapolis and St. Paul, historic landmarks tied to African American history are still present even if the community may not recognize them. Each site tells a story of resilience, and Black History Month events aim to bring those stories into the spotlight. Each February, Black History Month offers an opportunity to reflect on African American history through exhibits, performances, lectures, and community events across the Twin Cities. These celebrations highlight both historic achievements and ongoing efforts to preserve Black history in Minnesota.

Understanding local history helps us better understand the communities around us. When history is overlooked, an important part of the community’s identity is lost. Recognizing these stories not only honors the past but also helps us understand how history continues to influence the present and future.

For upcoming Black History Month events, visit https:// www.mnhs.org/blackhistoryblackvoices.

Lizzy Nyoike is a Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication student.

Pilgrim Baptist remains faithful to legacy and mission

By Alaysia Lane

Contributing Writer

Pilgrim Baptist Church has anchored Minnesota’s Black community for over 160 years, providing spiritual refuge, social solidarity, and cultural identity through periods of hardship and transformation. Established in 1863 by freedom seekers who fled enslavement in Missouri during the Civil War, the church stands as a living testament to generations of African Americans’ resilience, faith and heritage.

Robert Thomas Hickman, according to the Minnesota Historical Society, was born into bondage around 1830 in Boone County, Missouri, and emerged as a central figure in the church’s founding. Working as a rail splitter, Hickman learned to read under his enslaver’s instruction and soon began ministering to fellow enslaved people.

In 1863, he and his wife Minta, along with their children and other freedom seekers, embarked on a perilous journey northward. Traveling aboard the steamboat “Northerner,” they reached Fort Snelling before settling in St. Paul.

The congregation initially gathered in private homes before moving to a rented music hall and formally establishing Pilgrim Baptist Church in 1866.

Rev. Dr. Charles Gill, Pilgrim Baptist’s senior pastor, said Hickman’s story “shows that even when society is against you, with faith and perseverance you can overcome the greatest challenges.” Gill, who grew up in New York and came to Minnesota in 2004, emphasized that Pilgrim’s mission extends beyond spiritual guidance, acting as a community anchor.

“Pilgrim Baptist Church is where the walk of faith transforms lives,” he said. Pilgrim’s history is closely tied to St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood, once a vibrant African American community. The congregation moved there in 1928, adding to the neighborhood’s cultural and social life.

Members helped establish the Hallie Q. Brown House and took part in civil rights efforts, including the St. Paul chapter of the NAACP. Notable members such as Frank Boyd, founder of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, and diplomat William T. Francis helped shape local and statewide Black leadership.

The construction of Interstate 94 in the 1960s displaced thousands of Rondo residents, destroying homes, businesses and institutions.

Pilgrim Baptist, led at the time by Rev. Floyd Massey, successfully lobbied for a pedestrian bridge over the highway so church members could continue attending services.

Gill describes the effort as symbolic of Pilgrim’s commitment to its community: “We are not just a church unto our-

selves; we have the heart of the community within us.”

The church continues to serve civic life, organizing voter registration drives, facilitating civic education, and offering programs addressing social and educational needs. This work continues a deeprooted tradition where spiritual devotion and community service are inseparable.

Throughout its history, the congregation has held tight to its core values: Scripturebased faith, dignity for all people, Christian education, and compassionate service. Pilgrim’s mission centers on nourishing the hungry, uplifting the marginalized, and strengthening community bonds.

Gill summarized his philosophy: “Faith and action are inseparable. Serving others is part of worship.”

Preserving Pilgrim Baptist also strengthens Black historical memory. Genealogist Mica Anders, who has researched Minnesota’s early African American families, stated that churches serve as repositories for both formal records and oral histories. These include baptismal registers, church directories, bulletins, and fam-

ily connections often missing from census records.

“When churches are downsized or neighborhoods disrupted, that history can be lost,” Anders said, noting that the church’s archives and community ties help descendants trace their lineage and understand their cultural identity.

Anders has worked largely with Rondo families, and churches like Pilgrim help shape generational identity and resilience. By documenting family histories, hosting social events, and maintaining communal networks, these institutions reinforce a sense of continuity and belonging.

“When something is preserved, it shows that it mattered,” she said. “It gives future generations access to

records, stories, and context for who they are and where they come from.”

“Even through hardship and obstacles, lives can be transformed.”

Sustaining nearly 163 years of history requires balancing tradition with modern relevance. Gill focuses on anchoring the congregation in Scripture while addressing interconnected challenges, offering programs that educate and provide social services, and ensuring the church re-

Obituary

mains both faithful to its heritage and attuned to the community’s present needs.

“Even through hardship and obstacles, lives can be transformed,” Gill said. Pilgrim Baptist continues to embody that principle, offering a living example of Black resilience, faith, and the enduring strength of community.

Gill hopes young people recognize the power of faith combined with action, noting that the church’s mission is to transform lives through both spiritual guidance and social involvement.

For more information, visit www. pilgrimbaptistchurch.org.

Alaysia Lane is a multimedia journalist and commerce writer based in Minneapolis.

Daryl Eugene Lynn

Sunrise July 18, 1948 — Sunset February 8, 2026

aryl Eugene Lynn was born on July 18, 1948, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and passed away on

February 8, 2026, in Houston, Texas. He is survived by his sons Marcel Lynn, Jamar Lynn, and Jamar Hardy; his daughters Chanise Lynn and Shayla Lynn; his brothers Joshua Godhart and EdTwan Bates; his sister LaTasha McGuire; 10 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Ruth Lynn; his brothers Galen Lynn and Charles Lynn; and his former wife, Rosalie Lynn.

Daryl was a graduate of North High School, Class of 1966, and went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. He built a long and dedicated career across multiple professional fields before retiring. A private service will be held by the family. For those wishing to contact the family: 612-735-8808 or shaylamack@gmail.com

February 19, 2026

Activists claim victory as ‘Operation Metro Surge’ ends

By Clint Combs Contributing Writer

Tom Homan, the U.S. bor

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der czar who was previously recorded accepting $50,000 in cash from undercover FBI agents in a sting operation that the Trump administration later shut down, announced Thursday that the nearly twomonth Operation Metro Surge is ending.

As part of the withdrawal, Homan said local sheriffs agreed to notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when individuals suspected of entering the U.S. illegally are released from jail, often on unrelated charges, allowing federal agents to take them into custody.

Gov. Tim Walz said the new border chief was easier to work with than previous head

Greg Bovino in ending the surge of what he described as a record 2,000 masked federal agents deployed to Minnesota.

“I think probably what changed was when Tom Homan came here, I could get a conversation with someone,” Walz said. “Not a single interaction with Kristi Noem, Bovino or any of the rest of them.”

Civil rights activists from the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), the Council on American-Islamic Relations Minnesota chapter (CAIR-MN), and Communities United Against Police Brutality (CUAPB) said

sustained protests and organized resistance caught the White House off guard and pressured the Trump administration to end what they described as an occupation.

“Trump put on a show in Minnesota, and it failed miserably,” said MIRAC member Erika Zurawski, speaking Thursday outside Hennepin County Sheriff DeWanna Witt’s Office. CAIR-MN Executive Director Jaylani Hussein agreed that protests played a role but pointed to timing as a strate-

gic factor.

“I want you to also know that the timing of this withdrawal is not by accident. It is because the state of Minnesota is going to have its session at the Capitol next week,” Hussein said. “They do not want to walk into the Capitol knowing that the state of Minnesota is under siege.”

The announcement came days after plain-clothed federal agents chased and tackled 18-year-old Junior de Jesus Herrera Berrios through the

lobby of the Hennepin County Government Center on Feb. 10 after he completed a court hearing on first-degree drug possession charges. It was the third known immigration arrest inside the county building within a week.

While Walz framed the drawdown as a victory of negotiation, activists said the agreement came at a cost paid by vulnerable Minnesotans and argued that state and local officials helped ICE.

“It exposes the willingness

of Governor Walz and our state and local leaders to sell us out and kiss up to Trump,” Zurawski said. “Homan praised unprecedented cooperation with ICE and looks forward to more help from state and local police to repress protesters.”

Sheriff Witt said she has met with Homan four times.

Homan has pushed for access to jail rosters, while Witt said her office would consider ways to notify ICE about upcoming inmate releases.

“There seems to be this overwhelming thought that somebody is going to win it all and go home,” Witt told the Star Tribune. “It’s not going to be one side wins all here.”

The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office has said it works with ICE only when presented with a warrant signed by a judge, commonly referred to as a judicial warrant.

“The timing of this withdrawal is not by accident. It is because the state of Minnesota is going to have its session at the Capitol next week."

Civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong questioned the terms of any agreement struck with the Trump administration. “We still don’t know the terms of that agreement,” Armstrong said. “We don’t know if that secret agreement had an impact on Tom Homan claiming they’re going to end Operation Metro Surge.”

CUAPB Director Michelle Gross focused on what she called a fundamental due process violation at the heart of cooperation between sheriffs and ICE.

“The deal being discussed was Sheriff DeWanna Witt allowing ICE into the jails to arrest people who had not had a trial,” Gross said. “When a person is arrested, they are innocent at that point and remain innocent unless and until they are found guilty. So why are we allowing ICE into our jails?” Hussein warned that the announced drawdown should not obscure ongoing detentions. “We know, as I’m speaking today, there are hundreds of Minnesotans in detention, even though federal courts have granted relief and said they should be with their families,” Hussein said.

He also praised federal prosecutors who resigned from the Justice Department amid White House directives they said would violate the Constitution. “That did not end because Homan announced the withdrawal,” Hussein said. Hussein put Sheriff Witt and county sheriffs statewide on notice that activists would continue organizing. “We have a message to Sheriff Witt and every sheriff in the state of Minnesota: You saw what Minnesotans did to ICE,” Hussein said.

“If you choose to carry ICE’s burden and continue to cooperate, know that Minnesotans are not going to drop their whistles.”

Clint Combs welcomes reader responses at combs0284@ gmail.com.

St. Paul’s Frogtown hopes Capitol Commons can help reverse decline

Anya Armentrout

Contributing Writer

Rice Street runs just steps from the State Capitol Building. But the surrounding neighborhood, known as Frogtown, has felt overlooked for years. The contrast is hard to miss: Only blocks away, lawmakers decide how to spend money for the entire state. Yet little of that investment seems to reach this community.

The newly opened Capitol Commons, located at 546 Rice Street, is part of a plan to bring new life to the area and begin changing that pattern. The project is a partnership between the Sheriff’s Department and the Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board (CAAPB), and is one piece of a broader effort focused on Rice Street.

“[The legislature] has a lot of great statewide initiatives here, like the Capitol, but they don’t necessarily have their attention right here,” Peter Musty, principal planner and zoning administrator of the CAAPB, explained at an open house on February 10. “This is the first time in a while that we’ve had focused community outreach here. … Hopefully this is going to bring the community together, but at the same time it’s a safety initiative, a liveability initiative, [and] it’s a design initiative.”

The space is a collaboration with CAAPB, but its day-today operations will be primarily managed by the Sheriff’s Department. Seven deputies and Community Service Officers (CSOs) will work full-time on site. Johnny Howard, a CSO who has lived in the area

for 45 years, is excited about the project.

“I love this neighborhood,” Howard said. “The plan is to reengage the sheriff’s department with the neighborhood and try to identify and celebrate all the communities in the neighborhood.”

Howard has supported the area for years, co-founding the Thomas-Dale Block Club. He wants young people, especially young people of color, to see officers as a resource.

“[We need to] recruit officers from Frogtown. We need good folks involved in law enforcement.”

The sheriff’s office received

increased funding in July 2025 and has expanded its presence

in the area. Rather than focusing on arrests, Deputy Marco Barton says his goal is to act as a “deterrent through presence.”

Since officers have been more visible on the streets, staff at a nearby community center have noticed fewer incidents of youth being harassed by drug dealers and muggers. Local businesses and commuters, he said, are hopeful about what the space could mean for the neighborhood.

Capitol Commons will offer walk-in hours for kids, and Barton hopes to see programming that engages people of all ages and cultures.

The building has already gathered a collection of chess sets. Howard believes teaching kids chess can help them develop critical thinking and life-planning skills.

Deputy John Gleason is looking ahead to summer, when he plans to build a community garden for youth and seniors.

Many resources, including financial literacy classes and

small business grants, were already available in the area, but connecting residents to them has been a challenge. Planners believe having a groundlevel space that brings those services together will make them easier to access.

for decades, the past 10 years have been especially difficult.

“The plan is to reengage the sheriff’s department with the neighborhood and try to identify and celebrate all the communities in the neighborhood.”

Community member Jenny Welch is hopeful about the new space. “I think we’re being naive if we think that our area is thriving right now and that it doesn’t need [help],” she said. “So we need to put all our support behind any organizations that are willing to do that.”

In the last century Rice Street was a busy streetcar hub and a center of commerce, filled with foot traffic. While the area has been declining

“There was a pandemic, unrest, disinvestment, commuters leaving … ICE, it just keeps coming,” Musty said. “The shopfront owners, the businesses, are the front line of having to survive all this.”

“We want the community to feel safer,” he continued. “We can’t build trust, that takes years. So [we’re] building a little bit of safety and then trust will come. But we’ve got to plant the seeds and hope it grows.”

If the project succeeds, Gleason envisions “a place where people are comfortable and safe. Someone [being able to say] ‘Oh man, I got nothing going on. I’m gonna go talk to them today.’ And it being a welcoming environment, a space people know they can trust and feel safe, I think that would be a big win. And I hope that it continues past what we’re doing. Because I think every community needs a space like this.”

Health

What the pot remembers Soul food as ancestral practice and wellbeing

By Chef Lachelle Cunningham

There’s a moment in every pot where the greens have given all they can give. The heat has worked its slow magic. What’s left at the bottom is dark, rich and alive. Some folks pour it out and call it water because they do not understand the transformation that just took place. They don’t know they’re throwing away the teacher.

That liquid is called pot likker: the nutrient-rich broth that is left behind after simmering greens, traditionally collards, turnip greens, or mustard greens, with smoked pork like ham hocks or neck bones. It may not look like much, but when greens cook low and slow, their cell walls break down and release vitamins A, C and K, along with iron, calcium and potassium, directly into the water.

The greens aren’t fading; they’re distilling themselves into the richest, most nutrient-dense essence of the pot, a deep, soulful flavor that carries you back in time with a single bite. Pot likker is the epitome of culture in a pot, everything that was poured into us, simmered down. When I cook greens, I am not just feeding people at the table. I am honoring the hands that taught me, the hands that didn’t need measuring cups because they carried the knowledge in their bodies. My hands just know. That is muscle memory and it is ancestral memory. Black History Month asks us to remember public figures. The kitchen asks us to remember private ones: the grandmothers, the aunties, the cooks whose names may never appear in books but whose practices kept families alive. Soul food has been misnamed for generations. It has been called heavy, gluttonous,unhealthy, as if our ancestors were cooking for indulgence instead of survival; as if people denied land, wages and access were somehow overeating luxury. They called our food unhealthy while stripping our neighborhoods of grocery stores. What our ancestors were doing was extracting nourishment from what they were given. Using the neck, the innards, the drippings, that is not desperation. That is alchemy. That is an agricultural intelligence meeting constraint.

If there is one thing I know for sure, it is that I loooove my culture. I am African American–presenting, but I also carry a mixture of Austrian and New Orleans Creole, with a smidge of Ethiopian, Mexican and Filipino heritage mixed in. Maybe it’s because of this blend that I’ve always been intrigued by the way food has journeyed and evolved across the diaspora. Add to that the incorrect narrative that Black folks “eat poorly,” and I thought it would be meaningful to use Black History Month to spotlight foods that are native to African American culture and steeped in nutrition.

Collard greens

Many families are familiar with the tradition of starting the New Year with a big pot of collard greens. Dark leafy greens of all kinds are high in vitamins, antioxidants, iron, and fiber. The natural bitterness of the plant also supports digestive function, making it an all-around great addition to your regular diet.

That is people who understood that the parts others discard often hold the deepest sustenance and flavor.

Before anyone called it “soul

“Cooking greens is not just culinary practice. It is ritual.”

food,” before anyone put it on a menu, this was Black ancestral knowledge passed down from generation to generation. It fed the sick. It strengthened nursing mothers. It warmed bodies in winters that did not care about plantation lines or public opinion. It traveled through Reconstruction and the Great Migration. It arrived in Northern cities and colder climates and adapted without losing itself. That is what our food does. It survives.

Cooking greens is not just culinary practice. It is ritual. You wash each leaf with care. You strip the stems. You layer smoke, heat and time. You do not rush it. You wait. You taste. You adjust. That patience is reverence. That at-

tention is legacy in motion.

The kitchen is not separate from history. It is where history breathes.

Here in Minnesota, when I teach young people how to cook greens, I am not only teaching technique. I am teaching continuity. I am teaching that what was framed as “poor food” but was, in truth, medicine. I am teaching that our bodies still recognize what sustained our bloodlines.

We are literally the ones who made it. Many bloodlines did not survive to pass anything down. So when we simmer greens in February during Black History Month, we are not recreating nostalgia. We are practicing sovereignty. We are honoring people whose names may not be recorded but whose knowledge is still active in our kitchens.

Greens thrive in cold soil. They endure frost. They grow sweeter under pressure. We know something about that.

And when the pot is done, what remains at the bottom is not waste. It is the inheritance.

This Black History Month, reconsider what you have been taught to discard. Do

not pour out the broth. Taste it. Consume the nutrients and feel the healing within.

Let it remind you that strength often settles quietly. That transformation takes time. That legacy is not only spoken in speeches or written in textbooks: It is simmered, stirred, and passed hand to hand.

Potlikker does not announce itself. It waits. Be someone who recognizes that.

African American foods that nourish body and soul

Try something new: Instead of slow-cooking your collards (delicious, but a process that can reduce nutrients), explore other ways to enjoy these greens. Try thinly slicing the leaves and stir-frying them with garlic and onions for a flavorful side dish. You can also use greens as a pesto or tabbouleh base, or check out a callaloo recipe like the one below.

Callaloo

A traditional dish made from bitter greens, herbs, and hot peppers. Www. seasonedskilletblog.com/jamaican-callaloo/.

Rice

Rice is a staple across multiple cultures. While it’s commonly believed to have originated in China about 10,000 years ago before spreading to India and Thailand, there is also a separate African strain dating back roughly 3,000 years. When Africans were forc-

“When

other types and colors. There are more than 120,000 varieties of rice globally. Red, yellow, and even black rice are often available locally. Try incorporating short-grain, basmati, jasmine, or sushi rice to expand your options and make meals more fun.

Hibiscus

The hibiscus flower is not only gorgeous but packed with goodness. I often recommend hibiscus tea as a natural support for healthy blood pressure, but the plant also has anti-inflammatory, antimi crobial, and liver-supportive properties. It crosses multiple cultures, known as “sorrel” in the Caribbean, “jamaica” in Mexico, and “bissap” in parts of Africa. It is also used tra ditionally in China, Thailand, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, among others.

ibly brought to the Americas, they brought with them the knowledge and expertise of rice cultivation and harvesting. Today, thanks to migration and cross-cultural exchange, we have access to a wide range of rice varieties. Rice is versatile in both color and preparation, and it provides protein, fiber, iron, and B vitamins. Try something new: Instead of white rice, experiment with

Try something new: While hibiscus is most commonly made into tea, you can also mix it into lemonade, use it in a hot toddy, incorporate it into barbecue sauce, or even

bake with it. Get creative!

Yams vs. sweet potatoes

Many people think yams and sweet potatoes are the same, but they are completely different plants. Yams originated in Africa and have rough brown skin with a starchier taste. Sweet potatoes are native to the Americas, have smoother skin, and a naturally sweeter flavor.

Although yams were brought to the Americas during the Transatlantic slave trade, they were largely replaced by sweet potatoes.

Enslaved Africans referred to sweet potatoes as “nyami,” which made it easier to interchange the two names. The confusion deepened when the USDA allowed Louisiana to label a variety of sweet potato as a “yam,” and the (incorrect) name stuck.

That said, sweet potatoes are incredibly healthy. They aren’t actually potatoes (poor things are all mixed up, lol), but a root vegetable high in fiber, potassium, and vitamins A and C. Their starch content and natural sweetness make them a great substitute for white potatoes, so feel free to

sweet potatoes are especially nutrient-rich. Their vibrant color comes from anthocyanins, compounds that may support blood sugar balance, gut health, inflammation reduction, and heart health. Try them roasted, baked, boiled, or mashed, and keep the skin on for extra fiber.

Fun food facts

• Yams can be toxic if eaten raw, but they are delicious boiled, roasted, baked or fried.

• There is a strong connection between Mexican red rice (“arroz a la mexicana”) and West African jollof rice. There are also historical links between jollof rice and jambalaya, culinary evidence of forced African migration and cultural survival.

• Dates originated in North Africa and the Middle East and are rich in fiber, magnesium, B vitamins, and natural sweetness, making them a great low-glycemic option.

Learn more about Dr. Ayanna Quamina and her practice at

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1837, a territory governed by the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which prohibited slavery north of 36°30′. Again, Scott did not pursue his freedom. While at Fort Snelling, he met and married Harriet, another enslaved person. Emerson received assignments back to St. Louis and later served in Louisiana and Florida. He was also briefly sent back to Fort Snelling, accompanied by the Scotts, though they did not travel

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a broader peacekeeping mission that amplified the voices of the Global South.

It was this experience that enabled the young Obama to be taken seriously within Democratic Party politics by 2004. Obama himself, along with his wife, Michelle, and daughters, Sasha and Malia, faced an impossible task: upholding the dignity of an office predicated on militarism against the people of Africa, Asia and Latin America, while simultaneously opening new pathways for justice and liberation worldwide.

It is no surprise that journal-

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rale during incarceration and increase reintegration outcomes, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Adama has noticed impacts on her, her son’s, and her boyfriend’s mental health.

“I can’t speak to him the way I would like to, and he’s part of my support system,” she said. “He’s going through a lot in there, and I feel like I want to be his support system too … It definitely has affected both of our mental health.”

Minister JaNaé Bates Imari, co-executive director of ISAIAH MN, has seen firsthand how important this communication is. The community organizing nonprofit has advocated for criminal justice reforms, including the 2023 bill making phone calls from inmates in

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committed to doing the work. They call these organizations “community provers.”

County Attorney John J. Choi, who has served Ramsey County in that capacity since 2011, emphasized that the program grew out of a community-driven vision. "The journey started in 2019, inspired by restorative practices in Madison County, where community engagement and circles supported youth and families," he said.

"We realized that to create a better version of safety, we had to work differently, collaboratively, and with our community at the center," said Choi John Reimer, Ramsey County chief public defender, reinforced the collaborative nature of the initiative. "This program looks at everyone and says, who’s the community, who has been hurt, and how can we do something different?" Reimer said.

with him on every assignment. Emerson was discharged in August 1842, settled in Davenport, and died the following year. In 1846, Dred and Harriet Scott filed separate petitions in St. Louis Circuit Court against Emerson’s widow, Irene, whom he had married in 1838, seeking their freedom based on their past residence in free ter-

ritory. The Scotts signed their petitions with an “X” and were supported by descendants of the Blow family, which had sold Dred to Emerson.

"On March 6, 1857, the Supreme Court ruled that Black people were not American citizens and had no right to sue.”

Despite favorable precedents, courts ruled for and against the Scotts over more than a decade. The case eventually advanced to the U.S. Supreme Court. On March 6, 1857, the Court ruled that

Black people were not American citizens and had no right to sue. Scott’s claim to freedom based on residence in a free state was also denied. The decision effectively struck down the Missouri Compromise, declaring that Congress could not prohibit slavery in U.S. territories.

Many justices were Southern-leaning, including Taney, a committed Southern sympathizer and former slave owner. The ruling incensed abolitionists and drew criticism from Abraham Lincoln, who declared that Taney had “assumed historical facts which are not really true.” Lincoln

reject fascism and dictatorship.

later clashed with Taney during his presidency.

Ownership of Scott eventually passed to Massachusetts Congressman Calvin Chaffee, who had married Emerson’s widow. Shortly after the Supreme Court decision, Chaffee returned ownership to Taylor Blow, whose family had originally owned Scott and had supported his quest for freedom.

Blow freed Scott on May 26, 1857.

Dred Scott died on September 17, 1858. His remains were interred at Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis, where his grave went unmarked for

future of America and the world.

nearly a century. In 1957, on the centennial of the Supreme Court decision, a simple marker was placed at the site. Mayberry hopes more Americans understand the significance of Dred Scott’s story. “Not enough people of any race appreciate history as they should,” he said. “This happened right here, where we live. Unfortunately, I think 95% of people don’t even know who Dred Scott was.”

Tom Emery is a freelance writer and historical researcher from Carlinville, Ill. He may be reached at 217-710-8392 or ilcivilwr@yahoo.com.

ists and scholars have struggled to explain the organized hatred that has dismantled global democracy since he left office. Obama could not be Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, Kwame Ture and Kimberlé Crenshaw at the same time.

Worse, the leaders pursuing his coalition — Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Wes Moore and Alexandria OcasioCortez — have not yet found ways to succeed culturally or politically with the independent and conservative white Americans who have enabled the current violence shaping U.S. and global politics.

The fractures among people of the African world are visible here in Minnesota. Even as the federal government invades communities and terrorizes

state prisons free. This fight was personal for Imari because her husband was incarcerated in another state. “It was a law that I was fighting for because I know what it means to have to pay thousands of dollars every year to just stay connected, even though the law passing didn’t benefit me directly,” Imari said.

Imari’s husband’s confidence in his ability to contribute to society now that he is free was built through phone calls. Incarcerated for manslaughter, he maintained relationships with the victim’s family, including grandparents who mentored him over the phone.

“All of these family members were in consistent communication that led him to a path of restoration and reconciliation,” Imari said. This path took hundreds of phone calls over 20 years, costing thousands of dollars.

“That has completely shifted

“The

fact that they are building and repairing individuals is significant. It’s not just about recidivism, it’s about overall community safety.”

"The fact that they are building and repairing individuals is significant. It’s not just about recidivism; it’s about overall community safety." Reimer, a 30-year veteran public defender, also highlighted the human impact: "What do we want? Better outcomes for people. The community wants to be safe. And when we reduce recidivism, it reduces caseloads and strengthens human connections." The initiative has shown re-

families, young African Americans look to social media and encounter hostile exchanges between immigrant voices and Black advocates for foundational and nationalist Black identities.

More troubling, within a state population united by a shared desire for safety and prosperity, the failure to develop the shared visions of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X around a beloved community has become a fatal feature of contemporary politics. There is an immediate need for both unity and diversity in Minnesota, in the United States, and across the world.

Black American history offers unique lessons for this mission, lessons that benefit every society determined to

and shaped his ability to have dignity and forgiveness for himself and be restored in ways I don’t believe he would have been able to otherwise,” she said.

When our schools engage in discussions about antiracism, how do we connect those ideas to the realities of national independence in Africa, Asia and Latin America?

When communities unite to celebrate Indigenous cultures, how do we reinforce those lessons in our language, particularly by connecting to voices across the Pacific?

When we teach social studies and history, do we place the insights of new research at the center of instruction?

When we invest in small businesses and build new media networks, how do we employ and empower the best and brightest from all of our communities in these efforts?

Minnesota holds keys to the

As ethnic nationalists dismantle institutions such as NATO and the United Nations, voices from Minnesota have demonstrated the capacity to imagine new forms of social order rooted in accountability to local families.

“Minnesota holds keys to the future of America and the world.”

It is not enough to simply document attempts to collapse the organizations that defined global peace over the past 80 years. This moment,

the 250th anniversary of the United States, offers an opportunity to bring the moral voices of Black Americans and Indigenous peoples into the hearts of humanity.

The stress of an old world being destroyed by tech billionaires and corrupt officials is immense. The fear that leaves societies unprepared for what comes next is even greater. This is the time for the arc of the moral universe to bend toward justice. Unflinching determination is required everywhere.

Walter D. Greason, Ph.D., is a Twin Cities metro historian and Dewitt Wallace Professor of History at Macalester College. For more information, visit www. walterdgreason.com.

“The phone calls become really almost like a luxury to talk to our families, to support their mental health and prepare for reintegration.”

Imari said these costly communication barriers send a message to incarcerated people, who are largely at or below the poverty line, that they’re not worthy if they don’t have the money. It also tells loved ones they’re not worthy to stay connected, fostering shame and condemnation.

“If we want them to be released and become upstanding citizens, how dare we put that kind of expectation on someone when we treat them in the

markable outcomes. University of Minnesota researcher Kara Beckham reported that youth whose cases were successfully resolved through community accountability were significantly less likely to recidivate (return back into the system) than those processed in traditional court.

For first-referral assault cases, recidivism dropped from 29% to just 4%, an 86% reduction. First-time felony and gross misdemeanor cases saw a 50% lower risk of repeat offenses. Beckham noted that RJY also reduced racial disparities in access to restorative programs. Black youth, historically underrepresented in diversion programs, saw a 12% increase in equitable access, while overrepresentation of white youth decreased. The initiative has expanded to include more serious cases, including assaults and gross misdemeanors, demonstrating that restorative approaches can handle complex situations effectively.

For law enforcement, RJY represents a shift in philosophy as well as practice. Under-

opposite way?” she said. For Adama, the phone costs also make it difficult to work on her partner’s appeal. “It’s hard for us to communicate because the pricing is so high, like for his appeal and talking about legal things.”

Other communication avenues are challenging too. Mailed letters arrive in her partner’s hands a week or two later, and she must travel two hours for in-person visits.

In May 2023, Gov. Tim Walz signed the Judiciary and Public Safety Budget Bill, allocating $3.1 million annually to provide free phone calls for people incarcerated in state prisons. The Minne-

sheriff Mark Martin, with 37 years in policing, highlighted the program’s focus on intervention and prevention rather than repeated arrests. "We go out and arrest people who are often experiencing poverty, chemical dependency, mental illness, or family challenges," he said.

"This work lets us get to the root of the problem and prevent future harm." Empirical evidence, Martin added, shows dramatic reductions in auto thefts and carjackings, and seeing young people thrive in the community is the ultimate reward.

Public health experts also stress the broader benefits.

Dr. Brooke Cunningham, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health, connected RJY to the prevention of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and long-term health outcomes.

"Young people who come into contact with the legal system often face trauma, mental health challenges, and community inequities," Cunningham said. "Community-based restorative justice addresses

sota Department of Corrections supported the bill, which went into effect July 1, 2023.

“It makes financial sense,” Imari said. “It was actually far less expensive for the state to take on the cost than for individual family members to pay.

Families of incarcerated people often earn under $19,000 a year, so phone costs literally price out the poorest of the poor from staying connected.”

However, establishing similar programs at county jails is more complicated. “With the state we could fight at one place,” she said. “At the county and city level, you have to fight for each individual facility. It’s like having to fight at 70-plus counties in the state.”

Building relationships and securing funding at the county level is also challenging. “From what I remember about the county fights, you actually have to negotiate with

harm, promotes healing, and supports positive youth development."

Restorative circles, led by providers like Dr. Tamara Mattison, founder of Generation 2 Generation, emphasize dignity, accountability and healing. "Youth sit face to face with peers, impacted parties, and trained facilitators. They speak their truth, listen, take responsibility, and participate in crafting agreements to repair harm," Mattison said.

"This builds emotional literacy, strengthens empathy, and keeps young people engaged in school and community rather than pushing them deeper into the system."

Brenda Burnside, founder of Let’s Circle Up Restorative, highlighted the importance of choice. "We offer opportunities different from punitive models. When youth are given options to learn and grow, recidivism drops, and families and communities benefit," she said.

Choi and program partners envision continued expansion.

Beyond youth under 18, they are exploring interventions

individual jails, who feel they’ll have to pay out of their own resources to ease the financial burden on families,” Imari said. The difference in prices between neighboring counties led Adama to question whether revenue is being prioritized over community well-being.

“That’s a big question,” Imari said.

“All these places are supposed to be about rehabilitation. If it is really about rehabilitation, they would invest in resources to support people rather than focus on punishment, which only perpetuates cycles of harm.”

Familial and communal connection is a necessary factor in rehabilitation, she said.

Sherburne County Jail did not respond to the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder for comment in time for publication.

Damenica Ellis welcomes reader responses at dellis@spokesmanrecorder.com.

for ages 18-24, strengthening victim support, and partnering with philanthropy to establish a Restitution Fund for community-based accountability programs.

RJY demonstrates that safety is not achieved through punishment alone. Rather, connection, opportunity, and restoration create lasting impact. As Mitchell notes, the circles send a powerful message to youth: "You are more than your worst mistake. You are capable of repair, and you belong here."

Through collaboration between law enforcement, the legal system, public health, researchers, and the community, Ramsey County is not just reimagining youth justice. It is creating a model for safety, equity, and hope.

For more information, visit www.ramseycountymn.gov/ your-government/leadership/ county-attorneys-office/reimagining-justice-youth.

Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@ spokesman-recorder.com.

Black Business SPOTLIGHT Inner Peace

By Damenica Ellis Staff Writer

When Opal Robinson was a young mother, she began making personal care products as a way to treat herself. Once people noticed how good she smelled and how well the products worked, they wanted their own.

“I call myself the mixologist,” Robinson said. “I was mixing and matching things, just take a little bit of this, take a little bit of that, just how you make a little soup. You put some carrots in it and some potatoes, and the next thing you know you got your chicken gumbo soup or something. It’s the same thing with these products: experimenting, figuring out what smelled good for me, how it worked on me, and how it drew people. And then I started expanding.”

Robinson initially didn’t want to sell her products. But after seeing repeat customers and feeling a push from family members, she looked at products that were sitting and thought, “this is God’s resources. Why would I just let this go to waste?”

Inner Peace sells hand-

crafted perfume body oils, body butters, soaps, candles and incense. A couple of things make Robinson’s products different, she said. Ingredients are sourced sustainably, including imports from Ghana and Peru. The incense doesn’t produce a lot of smoke or put toxins into the air and burns for up to an hour. The perfume body oils are designed to mix with buyers’ natural body chemistry and can last from five hours to all day.

“Inner peace encompasses life, and that’s what I want people to feel.”

Everything, Robinson said, is marinated in love.

“Smell goods take you to a place. They take you to a space where you think about something that was good in your life, and so that’s what I wanted to create here … It has been a true blessing to share with other people.”

Inner Peace began in Robin-

Self-care products marinated in love

son’s home before moving into a building in North Minneapolis. While there, the business also operated through its online store and participated in many pop-up events.

During a Kwanzaa celebration pop-up shop at the Midtown Global Market, the Friends of Midtown Global Market offered a partnership where Robinson could have a space in the market that sells her items along with the nonprofit’s.

In the new space, Robinson hopes to partner with more entrepreneurs and hold small

demonstrations. She said she enjoys being in a space where people walk freely.

“I love the fact that it’s eclectic because I’m eclectic,” she said of Midtown Global Market. “I love the fact that it’s diverse and different … You get a wide range of interesting people, and people are just drawn to the fact that I’m open enough to share who I am, being friendly.”

Robinson’s heroes, her parents, taught her the importance of good customer service, she said, which is now

her number one priority. “My mother and daddy didn’t play about business. They taught us how to be professional, but they also taught us how to be human,” she said.

In her twenties, Robinson’s parents owned a liquor store.

At the time, Robinson would complain about customers until her mother reminded her that those same people helped pay their bills and that she shouldn’t judge because she didn’t know their stories.

“It’s the same thing in my space. I don’t know the story

that people bring in, but everybody needs to be treated with dignity. That’s what’s important to me and that’s what I’ve learned.”

Because of this mindset, people feel comfortable in Robinson’s shop, she said. “God has provided the space for me to be here just to hear them,” she said. “So that’s why I like being here more than selling any of this product.”

Inner Peace is exactly what Robinson wants people to feel when they step into her shop.

“You can come in here, you don’t have to buy anything. I don’t put pressure on people to spend their money… I feel privileged that people walk into the space first and foremost,” she said.

“Inner peace encompasses life, and that’s what I want people to feel. I want them to feel the life that maybe some of them may not even have in other spaces, but they feel life and energy in this space. They feel welcomed.”

Inner Peace’s new location is in partnership with The Friends of Global Market, 920 East Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55407. For more information, visit www. innerpeacefragrance.com.

Damenica Ellis welcomes reader responses at dellis@ spokesman-recorder.com.

Economic toll of ICE surge ‘severe’ BIPOC

By Clint Combs Contributing Writer

During the 2024 presidential campaign, Republican nominee Donald Trump promised that what he described as the country’s largest deportation campaign would be a boon for Black and Hispanic workers, claiming immigrants were taking their jobs.

“They’re going to be attacking, and they already are, Black population jobs, the Hispanic population jobs, and they’re attacking union jobs too,” Trump said at a campaign event in Reading, Pennsylvania.

But under what has become the largest deployment of federal immigration agents to Minnesota, small business owners, many of them BIPOC and women-owned, say sales and foot traffic have plummeted, contradicting the prosperity Trump promised minority communities. According to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, there is an estimated revenue loss of $10 to $20 million per week in Minneapolis alone. Immigrant-owned businesses in cultural corridors have seen losses of 80% to 100%, with many closing.

businesses hardest hit

jections show roughly $46 million in lost revenue across December and January alone,” Adams said. “You don’t come back from that in a single quarter.”

The ripple effects extend beyond individual storefronts. Carl Swanson, coalition strategist for the Minnesota CDFI Coalition, warned of broader systemic risk.

& Freedom is about saying clearly and publicly that our local economy should not be built on fear,” Eddison said.

“That’s why this moment matters. I was taken aback by ICE intimidating people and violating Fourth Amendment rights.”

for action is closing quickly. “Let me be clear, many of these businesses don’t have months,” he said. “They have weeks. If they close, if these buildings sit empty, if this cultural corridor goes dark, it’s not just bad for business. It’s a devastating blow to the future of Minnesota.”

tomers to support small businesses in diverse neighborhoods. Organizers stress that the losses are not the result of poor management or declining demand, but what they describe as a quota-driven immigration crackdown that has driven customers and workers into hiding, disrupting local economies.

Brian Atkins, who owns Custom Designs, a printing shop in Brooklyn Park, laughed when asked whether his business benefited from Trump’s deportation policy.

"Businesses on Lake Street are losing tens of millions of dollars a month.

That number continues to grow.”

Business owners and community leaders are urging Minnesotans to participate in “A Week to Shop Local for Truth & Freedom” through the Valentine’s Day holiday, a campaign encouraging cus-

He and business partner Lawrence Eddison had already planned for the typical seasonal slowdown after the holidays.

“November, once after Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christ-

mas is slow, but now ICE presence made it even slower,” Atkins said.

Many residents remain inside their homes amid fear of deportation under a policy Trump said would rid the country of criminals. Business owners say the economic toll has been severe.

“Right now, ICE activity is hitting our corridor hard. Businesses on Lake Street are losing tens of millions of dollars a month,” said Yusra Mohamud during a Friday press conference at Urban Growler Brewing Company in St. Paul. “That number continues to grow.”

“We are already hearing that some businesses may not open tomorrow, next week, or in the coming weeks,” Mohamud added. “When businesses close on Lake Street, the impact does not stop here. It ripples out to neighboring corridors, to greater Minnesota, and beyond.”

The financial projections are staggering. “On Lake Street specifically, our pro-

“In 2025, Minnesota CDFIs held nearly $700 million in loans across approximately 2,400 projects statewide,” Swanson said. “The risks we’re seeing are measured in days and weeks. Even a 20% default rate would mean a $140 million loss to Minnesota’s economic ecosystem, and

Emilia Gonzalez Avalos echoed the fear gripping communities statewide. “ICE has impacted business because our customers are afraid to leave their homes,” she said.

“They’re afraid to come support us, and this has had a harmful impact on all of us in the community.”

“Where you spend your money is one way we show what kind of community we

there is no federal safety net in place to absorb that shock.”

For Eddison, the crisis extends beyond economics. “Shopping Local for Truth

want to live in,” Gonzalez Avalos said. “It’s also about solidarity.”

Alex West Steinman warned that the window

Business owners also called on major Minnesota corporations to take a stand. Gonzalez Avalos specifically named Target, Land O’Lakes and Cargill.

“There is a responsibility that the largest grocer in Minnesota, Target, has right now in leading forward Fourth Amendment values and supporting small businesses,” Gonzalez Avalos said. “These corporations have built incredible wealth on the backs of immigrant workers, and they have remained neutral. We are inviting them to the light.”

Gov. Tim Walz did announce on Feb. 12 his support for a $10 million emergency aid package aimed at helping Minnesota small businesses, particularly immigrant-owned shops, recover from the economic strain caused by the recent two-month federal immigration surge. In the meantime, Atkins and Eddison at Custom Designs, like countless other shops, restaurants and stores across Minnesota, wait to see whether their communities will rally, or whether Trump’s promises to minority voters will continue unraveling in the face of economic reality.

Arts

From plastic sax to Hall of Fame

Walter

Chancellor Jr. always kept music close

By Damenica Ellis Staff Writer

Walter Chancellor Jr. will be inducted into the Iowa Rock & Roll Hall of Fame under the Matouesk Lifetime Achievement Award after 62 years of dedication to the saxophone.

“I just always kept music close to me. How can you get rid of something that’s been so close to you all your life?” he said.

Chancellor was born in Evanston, Illinois, and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. His mother moved him and his siblings to Iowa after his father died in 1959. The couple passed through Des Moines during trips from Chicago to Nebraska and thought it was the perfect place to raise children.

In elementary school, Chancellor was introduced to the saxophone, his lifelong passion, by an older kid he looked up to named Bobby. Bobby’s performance of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” prompted Chancellor to ask for his own saxophone for Christmas.

His mom got him a plastic saxophone that year, after telling him, “Your dad played

trombone and your grandmother has his trombone. You should think about taking up that instrument.”

Even hearing this, Chancellor said he knew he wanted to play the saxophone. “You think about somebody that fell in love with something at eight years old. And, you know, I mean, thoroughly. I mean, I was, I was just obsessed with playing the horn,” he said.

“You think about somebody that fell in love with something at eight years old. I was just obsessed with playing the horn.”

When he was 15, Chancellor and his grandma went into the garage to grab his late father’s trombone when he saw an instrument case too small for what his mother said was played. His grandmother opened the case, and sitting there was a saxophone.

“That was a crazy revelation,” Chancellor said. “I think my dad probably was telling me in my

ear, ‘Don’t let your mama tell you to play no trombone, boy.’”

Chancellor’s first real saxophone was $60, which his mother got for him under the condition that he took lessons. Time passed and Chancellor stuck with it; he earned first place in his first school recital, joined a band in his early teens, had to leave the band after being caught smoking a cigarette and drinking a gin sour, then joined a supervised band before eventually enlisting in the Marine Corps.

Two weeks after getting out of the Marine Corps, Chancellor was invited back into the band and went on tour in Daytona Beach, Florida. With him he brought $20, some clothes, and a cassette player.

About a year and a half later, the band came to a “disheartening” close, disbanding after getting close to signing a record deal. Chancellor returned to Des Moines and worked at a manufacturing company calibrating field nozzles for jets for nine years, all the while playing his saxophone.

“I had to be at work at five in the morning and I would get off at three, and we were

Ralph Remington returns with book on ‘Penetrating Whiteness’

By Damenica Ellis Staff Writer

Former Minneapolis City Councilmember Ralph Remington did not set out to write a book; he wrote simply to get the words out. After reading “The Price of the Ticket” by James Baldwin, a hero of his, Remington was inspired to gather years of his writing together and place it into one volume.

“Penetrating Whiteness: How White Supremacy Built America” was published this month. The collection of essays, written between 2006 and the present day, explores Remington’s childhood, his time on the Minneapolis City Council, and both Trump presidencies.

Remington, now the director of cultural affairs for the city of San Francisco, traveled to Minnesota to launch the book. The West Philadelphia native held several events in the Twin Cities, which he called his adopted home.

On Feb. 5, Remington hosted an intimate book launch at Black Garnet Books with community members. He read five essays from the book, including “Freedom From Being Black,” “Exile,” “The Human Experience” and “I Have a Nightmare.” A founder of Pillsbury House Theatre and a graduate of Howard University’s School of Fine Arts, Remington performed each excerpt, playing with voice, volume and song.

“I hope that what readers can find in this book is a source of inspiration, pride, and hopefully navigation as they navigate these perils that lie ahead.”

Remington then opened the floor for conversation and questions from attendees. The evening touched on the emotional and tangible effects of white supremacy, as well as the importance of teaching empathy over apathy.

At 63, Remington said he believes he now has perspective

on the world. He hopes “Penetrating Whiteness” can serve as a map readers use to help navigate the current moment.

“I think we’ve been fighting a cold Civil War for a long time and now it’s gotten hot,” he said. “As soon as the shooting starts, that’s when it’s getting hot. And so I hope that what readers can find in this is a source of inspiration, pride, and hopefully navigation as they navigate these perils that lie ahead.”

Remington is also working on a memoir expected to be released within the next two years, along with a book titled “Reclaiming Our Love Story.” That book, Remington said, will explore how multicultural communities lived in unity before race was invented.

“My book, that book, is about how do we give back to that?”

Remington said. “I think the key, personally, to that is white women. White women have to see that their marginalization

playing every weekend for two years from Tuesday through Saturday.” Then he decided to quit his job and move to Minneapolis with $60 in his pocket.

There he met Kirk Johnson, dancer and percussionist for Prince, while playing at a club in St. Paul. From there, they wrote songs, and Chancellor always had a band.

“I just worked jobs and I always looked at my jobs as like a second job, not so much as my primary, even though I was doing music probably three to four hours a day with it,” Chancellor said.

Now, 70 years old with accolades including a doubleplatinum record, Chancellor said he always wanted to go back to Des Moines with a band. “It never happened in the 38 years I was here, but I feel very honored that they would recognize me from the work that I’ve done up here and as an extension of where I started from there.”

After years living in Minnesota, a friend of Chancellor’s, Jack Robinson, called him to teach at the Institute of Production and Recording. He worked there for 18 years, re-

tiring three years ago.

Chancellor said it has been great seeing where his students end up and bumping into them across the country. He kept a vision to enrich young minds and pass on a legacy.

“I’m just still writing music even at 70,” Chancellor said.

“Coming up with some good stuff. I just refuse to regress in any kind of way with my talent, and I just try to keep and stay young in spirit and emotion

as it relates to the music and what I’m doing these days.”

The Iowa Rock & Roll Music Association’s Class of 2026 will be inducted Labor Day weekend at Arnolds Park Amusement Park.

For more information, visit www.iowarocknroll.com/.

Damenica Ellis welcomes reader responses at dellis@ spokesman-recorder.com.

Ralph Remington reads from his book “Penetrating Whiteness: How White Supremacy Built America” during an intimate launch event at Black Garnet Books on Feb. 5 in Minneapolis.

A recently retired college professor who attended the book launch complimented Remington on his imagery. The longtime educator said the excerpts resonated with him personally as a Black man who has had similar experiences.

“Artists create art in the moment, not for the moment, but for the people who receive it in the future,” he said. “What you’ve written here may not land on many ears, but the beauty is that it will land on those who need it. Not saying we don’t need it now, but that’s the power. The nature of art is that it really hits people when we need it.”

Damenica Ellis/MSR

and disenfranchisement is the same as people of color.

“When they see that and really digest it … then the whole cart falls down. All this sh** that we got going on, if white women had voted for Hillary [Clinton], we wouldn’t be in it. If white women had voted for Kamala [Harris], we wouldn’t be in it.”

Ralph Remington wrote a column for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder during his 20062010 term on the Minneapolis City Council.

Damenica Ellis welcomes reader responses at dellis@ spokesman-recorder.com.

Opinion

DevSecOps Engineer:

Plymouth, MN

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By Asheea Smith

When Ilia Malinin landed a backflip at the Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina last weekend, the world was stunned. Social media crowned him fearless, revolutionary, even untouchable.

But for some skating fans, Black enthusiasts especially, the moment felt familiar. Because decades ago, a Black figure skater performed the same gravity-defying move and received anything but applause. And if you ask us, Olympian Surya Bonaly walked so Malinin could run.

attire due to a lack of shades for Black women, a struggle we can all resonate with still today.

After so many disputes of feeling unfairly judged, Bonaly felt so utterly disrespected that she stripped herself of her silver medal on the podium after placing second at the 1994 World Figure Skating Championships in Chiba, Japan.

explosive athleticism to the ice decades ago, she was met with resistance and automatic deductions.

By Iker Suarez

The fight against ICE has galvanized millions of people in the U.S. into what some have called its first general strike since 1946. People are rejecting this invading force en masse, asserting in the streets that “an attack against one is an attack against all.”

But the struggle is far from over. In 2025, Trump added $75 billion to ICE’s previous $10 billion budget, which, if spent evenly across a fouryear period, would amount to tripling its annual funds. This makes it better funded than “all other federal law enforcement agencies combined.”

The plan is thus for ICE’s operations to undergo a drastic and rapid expansion. Meanwhile, Democrats have repeated their tired act: opposition for show and enabling on the low. And white supremacist elements, embedded at the highest levels of the administration, are intent on ramping up ICE power to realize their vision.

In other words, the struggle has only started. The stakes will only increase. It is of prime importance for us, then, to develop an analysis that allows us to effectively counter the escalation. Otherwise, the prospects are bleak. Where to start? To under-

stand and effectively fight ICE, we need to understand its structural function and tie our struggle to the broader fight against imperialism. As Malcolm X once said: “The only way we’ll get freedom for ourselves is to identify ourselves with every oppressed people in the world.”

nition of the impending threat posed by the state. We must also let go of hasty reflexes against discipline or structure and not repeat the mistakes of the last 15 years, which have left us impotent and without any results to show for our efforts. We are at a time when it is

International Skating Union (ISU) banned backflips back in 1976, per U.S. Figure Skating, primarily due to safety concerns regarding dangerous landings across the ice’s unforgiving surface. So when Bonaly defiantly executed a onefooted backflip at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, fully aware it would earn her a deduction, it was more than a stunt. It was a statement in a sport that had long decided which risks were acceptable, and who was allowed to take them.

Bonaly’s skating career was riddled with controversy, marked by everything from her athletic and atypical skating style to her decision not to wear tights under her skating

At the 59th ISU Ordinary Congress in Las Vegas, the union removed the backflip from Rule 610, officially reinstating the somersault as a legal element beginning in 2024. According to U.S. Figure Skating, the move is now recognized as a spectacular choreographic element, a notable shift for a skill once deemed “too dangerous” for competition.

Let’s not get it twisted: “Quad God” Malinin has far surpassed what many have been able to accomplish on a four millimeter steel blade. That said, it’s hard to ignore that when Bonaly brought

The question is: Why now? The risks involved with landing a backflip on ice have not changed, and likely never will. What has changed is who is recognized for taking it. Bonaly was decades ahead of her time, a Black woman in a white-dominated sport, and she was denied credit she felt she earned.

Even in 2026, no female skater has matched her explosive athleticism. Surya Bonaly, who executed her backflip on one blade, stands as a testament to the cost of pushing boundaries. Considering this, it’s clear that sometimes, being ahead of the game means not being celebrated at all.

Today, however, we’re giving the ice queen the flowers she truly deserves.

This commentary appeared first in The Root. It has been edited for style. For the original piece, visit www.theroot.com.

The question confronting the anti-ICE struggle today is whether it will be sufficiently organized to face the coming offensive by the state. Even if bouts of confrontation recede, they are likely to reemerge and recur. And if ICE triples in size, are we ready to match that growth with collective organization?

In this moment of escalation, we need to build sustainable structures that develop the operational capacity to act and respond to the coming assault. This goes well beyond marching or protesting. It demands of us that we can “do stuff,” step by step. And this is above all a practical problem. Not one based on complete ideological alignment, but on a shared recog-

becoming increasingly clear that ICE can and will be used against anybody significantly opposing the white supremacist plan. ICE can and will be weaponized against “citizens.”

Under these conditions, what recently appeared as a distant need to most becomes an imperative. And on it depends not just self-defense but the prospect of any liberated future.

This commentary appeared first in the Black Agenda Report. It has been edited for length. For the full piece, visit www.blackagendareport.com.

By Michael Bland

ICE crackdowns and federal shows of force could signal a strategy to intimidate voters before future elections.

One year into his second term, we’ve seen the same pattern from President Trump’s administration: Take legally questionable action, create chaos, absorb a judicial rebuke, then claim victory to an extreme-right audience while inflicting lasting damage on democratic institutions.

tions. Federal shows of force don’t need to be everywhere — they only need to be visible enough to signal that no space, including election spaces, is beyond reach. The violent immigration crackdown could serve as a template to disrupt and depress voting in Black, brown, and heavily Democratic communities in the midterms, in 2028, and beyond.

retroactively. Once turnout is depressed, votes are lost forever.

We saw this in sweeping immigration crackdowns, executed with maximal force and minimal preparation, slowed or blocked by courts only after communities were already panicked. Punitive executive actions targeting cities, institutions, and even private actors were similarly enjoined— but not before their intended message of intimidation was delivered.

The goal isn’t durable policy; it’s power projected to disorient those who resist Trump’s consolidation of authority. This playbook recently unfolded on the streets of Minneapolis with deadly consequences.

The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti highlight another threat: efforts to interfere with free and fair elec-

Trump’s insistence he won the 2020 election, despite repeated court rejections of widespread fraud claims, has fueled calls to nationalize upcoming elections. The FBI’s unprecedented search in Fulton County, Georgia, including participation from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard at Trump’s request, signals that effort may already be underway. Courts can stop policies, but they can’t undo fear at the polls. In 2025, hundreds of lawsuits challenged Trump’s executive actions, pausing or reversing controversial policies. Yet intimidation at polling sites can’t be cured

In swing states, elections hinge on mere thousands of votes; a small disruption can change the course of American democracy. What voters can do now is crucial. Preparation is the most effective defense against voter suppression. Check registration, confirm polling locations, understand local rules, and vote early or by mail if possible. Plan to vote with friends, family and neighbors, because suppression thrives when people are isolated. Know your rights: If in line when polls close, stay; request a provisional ballot if problems arise, and report intimidation. These steps make suppression harder and fear easier to defeat. The stakes are high, but ultimately it’s on us to show up.

Michael Bland is executive director of Black Men Vote, a national nonprofit committed to moving Black men from the political margins to the center of American democracy.

This commentary appeared first in Word in Black. It has been edited for length. For more information, visit www.wordinblack.com.

Employment & Legals

Continued from page 10

Dr. J do his thing, my eye became fixed on a 5’7” point guard who, while running a fast break, threw the ball off the backboard as the Doctor slam dunked it with authority.

I couldn’t believe what I had witnessed. “Who was the guy that threw it off the backboard?” I asked my father immediately after the scrimmage.

“That’s Ronnie Henderson,” he replied. The expression on his face as he answered the question gave me the impression that I should have known who he was. I didn’t.

Meeting Dr. J was no longer my priority. I wanted to meet Ronnie Henderson. My father introduced me. My camp experience was complete.

Henderson, the point guard who led Marshall U to an undefeated season and Class A championship in 1976, MIAC championships in 1980 and 1981 at Augsburg University, and became one of state’s most respected basketball referees, passed away suddenly last week, leading to numerous tributes and posts on social media outlets.

My relationship with

BULL

Continued from page 10

into the Augsburg Athletics Hall of Fame together in 2001. Henderson later was a member of the Minnesota High School Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2019.

“Ronnie and Greg [were] two of my favorite players all the years I coached,” said retired AU coach Rees Johnson. “I’d be proud, proud to have them as sons.”

Henderson developed years after his scrimmage with Dr. J, as a referee, social worker, and Hall of Famer. When he wasn’t officiating games, it was common for me to be covering a basketball game, look into the stands, and see Henderson sitting in the crowd. Working for Youth Services, he connected with students at St. Paul Johnson High School, where I teach social studies.

Besides the scrimmage, the moment that most lives in my memory of Henderson was being his host at his 2019 induction into the Minnesota Basketball Hall of Fame. Walking with him to the Target Center to watch the Minnesota Timberwolves play after his induction, we talked quite a bit about his high school coach Ed Prohofsky, who was also inducted that day.

“Today I’m a very happy man,” he said then, smiling.

“I’m happy for you too,” I replied.

Henderson in his gentle and humble way made it clear that I had it all wrong.

“I’m a happy man because Coach [Prohofsky] got inducted,” he said, adding, “I’m so happy for him. He deserves the honor.”

That was Ronnie “Bull” Henderson.

Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader comments to mcdeezy05@gmail.com.

Ronnie Henderson for years at W. Harry Davis Academy in North Minneapolis, just an unbelievable guy. I was a little kid, didn’t see him play, but I got to know Ronnie after I graduated from college,” Lake told me on his Feb. 9 show.

As Boone later went into coaching, his friend and teammate Henderson stayed involved in basketball by working camps, including Clyde Turner’s, and became a successful basketball official, where our paths often crossed over the years at high school games. He maintained

Johnson said of Henderson, “He’s the best passer I’ve ever seen that played for me. He could make the pass and not have a turnover. He enjoyed making somebody else look good.”

I never saw him play in high school or college, but I watched Henderson in action at the Howard Pulley Pro-Am Summer League. His Bull nickname and his hoop reputation was clearly evident.

“I’ve got many stories about that guy,” said Boone proudly.

WCCO Radio’s Henry Lake said, “I worked with

a constant presence with youth on and off the court.

“He should be commended,” surmised Boone of his late friend and fellow HOFer, “not as a coach, not as a schoolteacher, but working in the schools, working with younger people, and doing it that way” along with officiating games.

“Incredible community guy, incredible person in terms of personality,” he stressed of Henderson.

Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

VIEW Continued from page 10

college athletics, Boston accepted the offer to be the athletic director at New Mexico State in 2004 and led the department for almost four years.

Michigan State contest. “One of my favorites was here — Clem [Haskins] still is one of my favorites.”

Asked about Spartan Assistant Coach Saddi Washington, now in his second season at Michigan State, of his chances to someday become a head coach, Izzo said, “We’ve got to help him get one. That’s one of the things

“I am very pleased with things that I accomplished at New Mexico State,” he said. “But at the same time, the only presidency that I applied for was Grambling

“I ended up as a finalist. I think the interesting thing about that was, I don’t think I’ve ever heard this before, but the chairman of the search process told me that I did well but they didn’t think I was Black enough,” he laughed.

Gopher fans can thank Boston for the U’s upgraded athletic facilities as they watch games today.

Disappointing numbers

The Big Ten this season is the only Power Four conference with zero Black head men’s basketball coaches, and only one Black conference head coach (Rutgers WBB Coach Coquese Washington) among the 36 total men’s and women’s basketball teams in the league.

There were five Black MBB head coaches in 2021, including Ben Johnson at Minnesota, who was fired after last season.

“I think that in our sport it is disappointing,” MSU’s Tom Izzo told MSR after the Feb. 4 Minnesota-

we talked to him about when he came here. He’s worthy of getting a head job.”

Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

women’s basketball teams (2017 to 2020), and later an assistant coach at Coastal Bend Junior College, where the squad made a regional tournament appearance.

The St. Kate’s WBB assistant coach over the course of his career has worked with WNBA, NBA, college and high school athletes. But of late, one of Bullard’s greatest achievements is playing a pivotal role in the Wildcats’ “historic success” — the program’s best record in school history in 2023-24 (19-8) and its highest team GPA in the MIAC, a 3.72 GPA that ranked 13th in Division III.

Bullard also is St. Catherine athletics diversity and in-

clusion designee. “This year I took over in a role for diversity and inclusion,” he pointed out. “I’ve seen a lot of diversity starting to happen within all of our programs, not just basketball or soccer or track [but] also hockey and also within our basketball team.”

First-year post player Beatrice Clayton is one example — she is the team’s only Black player this season and hails from Stockbridge, Ga. “We’ve also been able to recruit and also draw a lot more attention to us where we are able to create diversity,” stressed Bullard. “We’ve also brought diversity within our administration.” Softball Assistant Coach Kobi Allen is the Wildcats’ other coach of color at the school.

Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

I didn’t want to go, but I’m glad I did After all, I got to meet

Ronnie Henderson

uring the summer of 1980, former University of Minnesota great Mychal Thompson, who just finished his second year as forward with the NBA Portland Trailblazers, held a basketball camp at Macalester College in St. Paul. The camp was a big deal at

the time and Mychal Thompson was a big name, finishing his career as the U of M’s alltime leading scorer and becoming the No. 1 pick in the 1978 NBA draft.

However, it was a camp that I didn’t want to attend. I wanted to hang with my friends and play with them at Oxford Recreation Center and Martin Luther King Center in St. Paul’s Rondo community.

Nevertheless, my father Kwame McDonald signed me up. So, there I was about to live in college dorms for a week while playing basketball. I was not a happy camper.

That attitude changed when it was brought to my attention that NBA superstar and Philadelphia 76ers forward Julius “Dr. J” Erving was going to make an appearance and scrimmage later in the week. Wow, I thought. I’m going to meet Dr. J.

A few days into camp Dr. J was present, ready to participate in a scrimmage and meet with myself and fellow campers afterwards. Then everything changed.

It was 46 years ago, but the memory is as clear as yesterday.

It was 46 years ago, but the memory is as clear as yesterday. As a 14-year-old watching

■ See PREP on page 9

Sports

Players, coaches fondly recall ‘The Bull’ Henderson

By Charles Hallman Sports Columnist

nown as “The Bull,”

Ronnie Henderson is to many of us a local beloved sports icon in our community. He died Sunday, Feb. 8, at age 68. For those of us who got phone calls and texts or saw it on social media, the news of his passing was shocking.

Henderson was a bonafide basketball legend, first as a middle school and high school star, then in college. He lent his knowledge and love to young people as a behavioral specialist in Minneapolis schools and on the court as a

basketball official.

The last time he and I spoke he was scheduled to work a girls basketball game at South High School a couple of weeks ago, a game suddenly cancelled due to ICE in the area. As always the case, we chatted about almost everything.

Henderson stuck around and spoke to the school’s boys basketball players before their practice. He was introduced as perhaps one of the best point guards in Minnesota high school history. His MarshallUniversity team went 50-2 (1975 and 1976), including a 28-0 Class A state title in 1976.

Who’s to thank for U of

M’s athletic facilities?

his week’s BHM question: Who is the Black man who engineered the U of M athletic facilities upgrade that propelled them from among the Big Ten’s worst to among the conference’s best?

The 1980s saw Gopher football move downtown after the campus stadium was torn down. Williams Arena, known as The Barn, mostly resembled one inside, dirty and dingy. You could hear the hockey games and its crowds through its walls from next door’s Mariucci Arena.

Then McKinley Boston was hired as Minnesota’s first

Black athletic director (19911995), who under his leadership spearheaded a campaign to update its facilities.

As a result, Williams had a major renovation (1991-93). A new Mariucci was built across the street, and old Mariucci was converted into the Sports Pavilion, renamed Maturi Pavilion in 2017, for volleyball, wrestling and gymnastics. All this because of Boston.

most important part of it was that the governor was very supportive of me and athletics in general. His help making the case I think was a very important piece of making it all happen,” he stressed.

“Mac,” as many called Boston, first came to Minnesota from his native North Carolina in 1964 to play football for the Gophers. He was all-conference and helped the school to a share of the Big Ten football title as a senior in 1967.

“One of the good things that happened during that period is that I was able to develop a relationship with Gov. Arne Carlson,” recalled Boston during a recent MSR phone interview. “To be able to get the governor to openly talk about supporting infrastructure improvement, trying to get state support for it.

“I would say probably the

Boston went on to play pro football in the NFL and the CFL. He eventually earned his bachelor’s degree in 1973 and his master’s in 1974 from Montclair (N.J.) State College, where he also was an assistant coach and director of student services (1973-86).

After earning his doctorate in education (1987), Boston set his sights on college administration with hopes of one day becoming a college president. He was among a very small number of Division I Black athletic directors, first at Rhode Island (1988-90), then at Minnesota, where he later became the first and only vice-president of student development and athletics overseeing the residence halls, student health center, and other campus services.

However, Boston got swept up in the men’s basketball team academic scandal and was forced out. His dreams of being a top campus leader seemed forever derailed.

“I had my goals stated very clearly,” continued Boston. “The decision to not renew my contract was obviously something I just couldn’t overcome.”

After a brief retirement from

“We must have crossed paths for the first time in about eighth grade,” recalled Southside native Greg Boone of Henderson, a Northsider. “We just kind of watched each other.”

It wasn’t until their senior years in high school that Boone and The Bull played on the same team — a post-season all-star team — and shared several individual honors that were featured in local papers, including the then-Minneapolis Spokesman.

“At the end of our junior year, we both made the WCCO AllStar [team]. We both were selected as two of the five finalists for Mr. Basketball — that year Kevin McHale won [in 1976]. We really had mad respect for one another at that point,” continued Boone.

The two later became college teammates at Augsburg, where their teams won nearly 50 games in two years, two

conference titles and two tournament runs.

“We had two glorious years,” said Boone. “I had a lot of teammates and a lot of point guards during my time playing, but [Ronnie] was easily the one to play with, probably the best teammate just because he kept the game so easy.”

In Henderson’s two seasons at Augsburg he scored 904 points, averaged nearly 11 points a game, and held the school’s assists record. He graduated in 1981 with a psychology and health/ physical education degree.

Both he and Boone went

Yet more MIAC diversity

Second of two parts

lot of good things Beatrice Clayton is the only Black player on the St. Catherine women’s basketball team this season. She is a first-year player from Stockbridge, Ga.

We asked her after a recent game, a 53-50 road victory at Hamline on Jan. 31, about moving up north to attend one of two all-female colleges in the MIAC.

“One thing that sticks out to me is that I wanted to go somewhere where I can make a difference and make my own way,” stressed Clayton. In other words, she wasn’t scared to venture out of her normal comfort zone? “No, sir,” replied the Wildcat post player.

Assistant Coach Geno Bullard told MSR of Clayton, “Beatrice fits in very well. She brings a different dynamic to the team. She’s able to go inside the post.

“A lot of people don’t know she’s actually got a good shot,” continued the coach. “She does a lot of good things. She can also space the floor for us. And I would say she brings something different to the MIAC that you don’t really see a lot of post players able to venture out to the three point [line] and be versatile within the paint.”

Clayton pointed out that she has slowly adapted to campus and court life. “Yes, I’m starting to get used to the culture difference,” she said.

“I’m studying right now ex-

ercise science to be a physical therapist just because [my] family, we’re all in the medical field. I just want to do something different because there are nurses [in her family].

“I just want to be a physical therapist because I feel like it’s my passion being in sports since I was a kid.”

As for her court time, Clayton is averaging five and a half minutes a game. She logged double-figure minutes in four contests this season.

The freshman said that balancing books and hoops, although it’s in college, has not been as hard for her as one might believe for a first-year college student-athlete. “I got a little taste of it in high school when I was doing dual enrollment,” said Clayton.

“I was taking college classes also while playing basketball,

so I got a little bit of experience in it.”

Historic success

Geno Bullard is in his third season as St. Catherine assistant women’s basketball coach. He is the only Black member on the Wildcats coaching staff.

“I’m originally from Nassau, Bahamas,” said Bullard after a Jan. 31 road win at Hamline. Bullard has extensive coaching experience acquired after his playing career ended, which included being a member of the Bahamas National Team. He got into coaching at a prep school in San Antonio, Texas, where he helped his team win a state championship. He was a graduate assistant with both Minnesota State Mankato men’s and