Social Issues

For some Black Americans, love of country means holding it accountable
For many African Americans, patriotism is complicated because the promises of America aren't fulfilled equally. The Fourth of July brings a challenge: reconciling national pride with systemic racism.
Video: Frederick Douglass' descendants deliver his 'Fourth of July' speech
The U.S. celebrates this Independence Day amid calls for systemic reform. In this film, five descendants of Frederick Douglass read excerpts of his speech, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?"
Revisiting sacred cows: Which figures from history do we honor, and how?
Statues have been taken down; names scrubbed from institutions. The national reckoning over race has reenergized debates over historical figures and the scrutiny goes beyond Confederate monuments.
Washington NFL team's sponsor FedEx formally asks for team name change
FedEx, which paid $205 million in 1999 for the naming rights to the stadium, says it has "communicated to the team in Washington our request that they change the team name."
Family of man killed by police in Eagan files civil rights suit; protesters want case reopened
Lawyers for Isak Aden’s family say his killing a year ago during a standoff with police was “another tragic display of an over-aggressive, over-militarized police response to a Black man.” Aden’s sister led 150 protesters on Wednesday calling for justice.
Minneapolis Park Board holds off on reducing size of encampments
The Minneapolis Park Board is trying to determine a path forward for hundreds of homeless people who are living in city parks.
Two college students have organized racial justice protests in the small central Minnesota city of Alexandria, but they intend to keep it top of mind for residents long after the protests end.
Buddy King: With an eye to St. Cloud’s past, looking to change the future
The city has made significant strides in overcoming the racial injustice of its past, but still has work to do, King said. The nonprofit leader and youth pastor, who recently organized a youth march in St. Cloud, is seeking a seat on the City Council. “You can see [the racism] really clearly in systems more than you can see it in people. That’s what we’ve got to change,” he said.
Minneapolis residents ask: Dismantle the police — then what?
On Wednesday afternoon, the city’s Charter Commission will address a charter amendment that would replace the police with a new Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention. But some residents say they want to see a detailed plan before any formal action is taken.