What's on the radio Monday, May 26

Here’s the MPR News programming plan for Monday, May 26, on the radio and on the stream. Missed a live show? Follow the links below to find our show archives and podcast feeds. And for daily news updates straight to your inbox every weekday morning, sign up for the MPR News a.m. newsletter.

9 a.m. — MPR News with Angela Davis

Five years after George Floyd: The healing and rebuilding that still need to happen 

It was Memorial Day weekend, five years ago, when George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Bystanders recorded the nine-plus minutes that Chauvin calmly kneeled on Floyd’s neck, as the Black man pleaded for help and air. That video rocketed from phone to phone, from media to media and sparked worldwide protests against police brutality. 

But for the Black community in Minneapolis, Floyd’s murder was just a chapter in a much longer story.

Long before 2020, people had been organizing, creating and demanding change. 

Certainly, in the immediate aftermath of Floyd’s death and Chauvin’s 2021 conviction, progress was made. Businesses and institutions promised to invest in racial equity, to develop new community practices, to reckon with systems of harm. 

But in the neighborhood where Floyd lived and died, has that change taken root? 

That was the question at the center of a North Star Journey Live event hosted by MPR News host Angela Davis earlier this month. On May 6, a cross section of Black community leaders came together at Pillsbury House Theatre to talk about real change, deep healing and defiant hope. The conversation was candid, often surprising and ultimately inspiring. Listen Monday at 9 a.m. 

Panelists:

  • Angela Harrelson, George Floyd’s aunt and registered nurse

  • Anthony Taylor, community development lead for the Cultural Wellness Center and outdoor educator-activist

  • Jeanelle Austin, founder of the Racial Agency Initiative and a board member for the George Floyd Global Memorial

  • Jerome Richardson, cofounder of the youth-led Minnesota Teen Activists

  • Signe Harriday, artistic producing director at Pillsbury House + Theatre and lead local organizer for the Million Artist Movement

  • Tabitha Montgomery, executive director of the Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association 

Special guests:

10 a.m. — 1A with Jenn White

More than Music – a tale of two cities

Join Jenn White next time for a tale of two cities - and one unsung hero. 1A’s “More Than Music” series spotlights the composer, George Chadwick. Hear what this “Gilded Age” tussle between New York and Boston says about who gets heard today.

11 a.m. — 1A with Jenn White

Ask a pilot 

There are about a quarter-million licensed pilots in the U.S. It’s a hobby, a career, and for some: a calling. 1A’s “Ask A” series returns - this time, “Ask A Pilot.” The captains of the clouds answer your questions, on the next 1A.

Noon — Westminster Town Hall Forum

The Fabric of Our Humanity and Beloved Communities - Robert Samuels 

R.T. Rybak talks with Robert Samuels, co-author of “His Name Is George Floyd: One Man’s Life and the Struggle for Racial Justice”, winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for General Non-fiction.  As a reporter at the Washington Post, Robert Samuels focuses on stories that unearth complicated truths about American history, institutions, and people. His work includes compelling narratives on politics, policy, and America’s changing identity. Mr. Samuels was this year’s featured speaker in the Forum’s Arc Toward Justice series on May 13, 2025.

1 p.m. – On Point

The power of solitude

Solitude is not the same as loneliness.  Loneliness can damage your health, but solitude, on the other hand, can actually boost your well-being. The power of solitude, on the next, On Point.

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