Celebrate the opening of the Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow exhibit by joining three local scholars-Drs. William Green, Duchess Harris, and James Robinson-for a program on the history of African Americans in Minnesota during the post-Emancipation era. This new exhibit tells the history of African Americans' fight for full citizenship and racial equality in the 50 years following the Civil War. Learn how this struggle took shape in Minnesota and how African Americans navigated newfound freedoms and opportunities, established vibrant communities and institutions, and built a foundation for Minnesota’s Black community for decades to come.
Dr. William D. Green was the M. Anita Gaye Hawthorne Professor of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies and Professor of History at Augsburg University until 2022. He has devoted his career to writing about race and Minnesota and is the author of four books and numerous articles on history, law, and education.
Dr. Duchess Harris is professor of American Studies at Macalester College. Her research in race, law, politics, and gender studies has been published widely and she has been active in public service for decades. She is also the curator of the Duchess Harris Collection, a collection of books bringing scholarly expertise to 4-12 graders.
Dr. James Robinson is assistant professor of Black Studies in the Ethnic, Gender, Historical, and Philosophical Studies Department at Metro State University. In addition to his interdisciplinary work in Black Studies, he is a specialist in the study of Black railway labor and has worked as a researcher and curator for the Smithsonian Institution.