Race: Conversations around race and racial justice

The May 25 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody has ignited an urgent push for racial equality across Minnesota and the United States. Here are the latest on the fight against racism, voices calling for racial justice and in-depth stories on communities of color and other racial issues from MPR News.

Voices of Minnesota Calls for change across the state

Protests and pain The killing of George Floyd

Call To Mind Spotlight on black trauma and policing

Amplifying voices Share your experiences and hopes for the future

NHL players Jerred Smithson, Anson Carter, and Tomas Vokoun

Hockey makes progress in midst of awakening about racism

August 11, 2020 10:26 AM

By The Associated Press

There's an awakening happening in hockey about systemic racism and its role in the majority white sport. Minnesota’s Matt Dumba recently became the first NHL player to kneel during the “Star-Spangled Banner.” Meanwhile, teams are taking tangible steps to address the issue in their communities, led by the Washington Capitals.

Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best said she is retiring from the department next month. She's seen here speaking at a prayer vigil at the First AME Church in Seattle in June, following protests over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May.

Seattle's police chief resigns after council votes to cut department funds

August 11, 2020 10:25 AM

By Brakkton Booker

Carmen Best, the city's first Black police chief, will leave after a tumultuous few months in Seattle, where protesters against racial injustice took over several blocks.

Editor's note: Why we now capitalize Black but continue to lowercase white

August 10, 2020 11:10 AM

We also now capitalize Indigenous when referring to the original inhabitants of a place. These decisions align with our goal to use language that is inclusive and respectful in our reporting, and are also consistent with our style of capitalizing racial and ethnic identifiers such as Asian, Hispanic and Native American.

A makeshift memorial at the All Black Lives Matter Solidarity March on June 14, in Los Angeles.

Black activist burnout: 'You can't do this work if you're running on empty'

August 10, 2020 4:00 AM

By Christianna Silva

National attention on the fight for racial justice may wane, but many protesters are still staging rallies and marches. How do they fight the system while combating their own burnout?

Two men speak on the sidewalk.

Community rallies around Bloomington mosque after imam assaulted on the way to prayer

August 7, 2020 2:46 PM

By Riham Feshir and Christine T. Nguyen

Bloomington police are investigating an attack on the imam, Mohamed Mukhtar, who was walking to the nightly prayer service around 10 p.m. Thursday when two people approached and assaulted him outside of the Dar Al Farooq center.

A woman stands with an award.

Meet Minnesota's Teacher of the Year, first Somali American to win honor

August 7, 2020 6:48 AM

Qorsho Hassan was selected out of 134 nominees for her willingness to trust her students and let their own questions guide their learning. “They run the classroom with me,” she said. “I refuse for anyone to dim the light of my students.”

Demonstrators hold a sign.

Minneapolis leaders push ahead with efforts to change police

August 7, 2020 6:16 AM

By Amy Forliti, Associated Press

A city commission on Wednesday blocked a November vote on the issue. So now, although political will for change may be on their side, city leaders face a more incremental and challenging path to rebuilding the oft-criticized department. But they're not giving up.

A sign reads "Fond du Lac Reservation"

After taking tough measures, Fond du Lac band has first COVID-19 cases

August 6, 2020 4:00 AM

After months of trying to keep the coronavirus at bay, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa has confirmed the first two positive COVID-19 cases on its reservation in northeastern Minnesota.

A new study has found that parks in low-income and majority-nonwhite communities are smaller and serve a larger number of people per park acre. People are seen here relaxing in May in Brooklyn's Domino Park.

Parks in nonwhite areas are half the size of ones in majority-white areas, study says

August 5, 2020 5:07 PM

By Laurel Wamsley

Amid high temperatures and a pandemic, green spaces are a lifeline. But new data shows parks in low-income and nonwhite areas are smaller and more crowded than those in high-income and white areas.

In her new book, Caste, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson examines the laws and practices that created what she describes as a bipolar, Black and white caste system in the United States. Above, a sign in Jackson, Miss., in May 1961.

It's more than racism: Isabel Wilkerson explains America's 'caste' system

August 4, 2020 3:14 PM

In “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist examines the laws and practices that created a bipolar caste system in the U.S. — and how the Nazis borrowed from it.