News

Nellie Stone Johnson: A force for civil rights

Thursday, 13 June 2013 20:58

Nellie Stone Johnson was born December 17, 1905 to one of a few black families that settled in the rural farming communities of Dakota County at the turn of the last century.

From an early age, Johnson revealed an activist spirit, distributing leaflets for the Nonpartisan League on her way to school at age 13, and joining the Minneapolis NAACP at age 16. She eventually moved to Minneapolis, becoming a force for union and civil rights as a founding member of many of today’s civic organizations, including the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party with the Farm-Labor Party (DFL). She was also instrumental in the creation of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission and the State of Minnesota’s Human Rights Department, the first of its kind in the nation.

The Sound of Transformation: Sharing our stories through the Sounds of Blackness

Thursday, 13 June 2013 20:53

When it comes to telling the story of the African experience in America, the saga unfolds against the backdrop of sounds, voices, hymns and hollers that embody that journey. Each genre within the family of black music is an expression of our experience at each stage of progression, punctuating the timeline of history.

The 2013 Trailblazer Honoree: Dr. Josie Johnson

Thursday, 13 June 2013 20:41

MUL Legacy

For over 87 years, the Minneapolis Urban League has led the charge to serve the community and all those who call it home by serving families, helping people find jobs, homes and create their own pathways to opportunity. Conversely, we’ve been graced by the talents and services of many from within our community who’ve served tirelessly as champions of change. We are pleased to honor one such individual as our 2013 Trailblazer Honoree, Dr. Josie Johnson.

50th Anniversary of the March on Washington... The road to transformation

Thursday, 13 June 2013 19:46

Thousands of African-Americans migrated to the upper Midwest in search of better opportunities and to avoid the harsh Jim Crow laws prevalent in the South. The end of WWII saw the return of soldiers disillusioned from fighting for a country that didn't protect the very rights they fought for. The lack of jobs, housing and equal opportunities for African Americans edged the historically moderate Urban League to the forefront of the burgeoning civil rights movement advocating for equal opportunity and socioeconomic change.

The world’s best mortician: Richard Estes was MUL 2012 Trailblazer

Thursday, 13 June 2013 00:00

Richard Estes passed away peacefully May 29th, 2013, at Abbott Northwestern Hospital surrounded by his family. At funeral services Saturday, June 8, at Zion Baptist Church in North Minneapolis, his nephew and mentee, Tracy Wesley, tearfully declared, “He was the best mortician in the whole world.”

Calling all Red Caps

Monday, 10 June 2013 11:56

The opening event of the 30th annual Rondo Days Festival is a reception to honor the Red Caps, the station porters who welcomed and served travelers and the railroad industry at the St. Paul Union Depot for more than 78 years. As part of the renovation of this historic train station, the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority (RCRRA) is commemorating these men by establishing the Red Cap Room at the depot's second floor. All former Red Caps, their families and friends are invited to attend the dedication ceremonies at the St. Paul Union Depot, 214 4th St E, St Paul, MN 55101, 2nd Floor on Friday, July 12, 4:00 – 6:00 pm.

Liberia strife toll: Starvation, massacres, child soldiers, rape

Monday, 10 June 2013 11:42

The Coalition for Justice in Liberia (CJL) symposium geared toward training staffers on how to unearth and report gross human rights abuses, including war related massacres taking place around the world, ended last week with participants pledging to work together to end a "culture of impunity" by perpetrators of genocides.

Sequestration damages our community

Monday, 10 June 2013 10:52 By Freddie Allen NNPA Washington Correspondent

WASHINGTON (NNPA) –The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported that nearly 140,000 low-income families could lose rental assistance and "thousands of other low-income families using vouchers could face sharp rent increases because of sequestration."

Cheerios TV commercial sparks heated conversation

Friday, 07 June 2013 09:47 Harry Colbert, Jr.

Editors note: Due to the complexity of the topic of blended families and interracial dating, Insight News has chosen to run a series of articles on the subject.

Who knew a 30-second television ad about cereal could cause such a commotion?

700 Black mayors mean emerging political clout

Friday, 07 June 2013 09:20 George E. Curry, NNPA Editor-in-Chief

ATLANTA (NNPA) – Sacramento, Calif. Mayor Kevin Johnson, the newly-elected president of the National Conference of Black Mayors (NCBM), told his colleagues that if they don’t improve the lives of their constituents, they don’t deserve to remain in office.

Juneteenth kicks off Twin Cities summer

Friday, 07 June 2013 09:00

The 25th annual Twin Cities' Juneteenth celebration takes place Saturday, June 15 at the North Mississippi Regional Park, 5114 North Mississippi Dr., Minneapolis.

The festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Organizers say as one of the nation's largest cultural celebrations, the area Juneteenth celebration boasts an estimated attendance of more than 25,000 Minnesotans. This year's theme is Remembering the Past, to Heal the Present to Succeed in the Future.