The annual celebration of Juneteenth is taking on new meaning this year in Minnesota and across the country as people are energized to fight for racial justice in the wake of George Floyd’s killing. And while the pandemic has curtailed larger celebrations, smaller outdoor events are planned throughout the weekend.
- MPR News with Angela Davis The meaning of Juneteenth and how we should commemorate it
- Nationally Calls to make Juneteenth a federal holiday gain momentum
- Juneteenth A day of joy and pain — and now national action
- Target, U.S. Bank, Best Buy Minnesota companies make Juneteenth a company holiday
Dialogue between activists and city officials that began two weeks ago after previous protests has appeared to fall apart, with each side blaming the other for a breakdown in communications.
- Wednesday Black leaders say Fargo officials aren't addressing demands
Our public service mission compels us to inform, inspire and serve our audiences. That is our enduring promise, and it motivates every decision we make. We’ve carefully weighed all our options to ensure that the programming, staffing and operational changes we’re making are sustainable, and will help to make our most important services even stronger and more relevant.
Read Jon McTaggart’s message about changes at Minnesota Public Radio and American Public Media.
A 911 dispatcher who was apparently watching in real time as a Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee into the neck of George Floyd called a supervisor to tell him what she saw, not caring if it made her look like a “snitch." The recording of the call was made public Monday.
- 911 call and confrontation Ex-Mpls. cop charged with murder, manslaughter in Floyd death
- The killing of George Floyd What we know
The mental anguish of George Floyd’s killing doesn’t go away, even after the officers are charged and many of the protesters have gone home. One recent study said police shootings can affect people’s mental health for three months or more.
- Call to Mind Spotlight on black trauma and policing
- MPR News with Marianne Combs Listening to the voices of black Minnesotans
- Being black in America 'We have a place in this world, too'
The pace of Minnesota’s COVID-19 outbreak continued to slow over the weekend, but state health officials in recent days warned the situation could take a turn for the worse if safety measures aren’t followed.
Minnesota is loosening its COVID-19 restrictions Here's what you need to know
Parting Thoughts Remembering lives lost to COVID-19
As the world begins to heal following the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, people are taking another look at the ways in which racism has impacted institutions beyond law enforcement -- including classical music, host Garrett McQueen says.
- Listen: NPR Clarinetist Anthony McGill kneels, pleads and plays for justice
- Watch: 'Seven Last Words of the Unarmed'
The Twin Cities community has been impacted deeply by the killing of George Floyd. In the wake of tragedy, many forms of neighborly support have surfaced. The Current compiled a list of ongoing efforts that are seeking and offering aid locally.
The cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are requiring people to wear masks in stores and other indoor spaces as Minnesota moves to reopen additional sectors of the economy this week. But Duluth is taking a different approach, trying to normalize the habit, rather than mandate it.
