MinnPost: 'Degrees of Freedom' chronicles black history in Minnesota during the post-Civil War era

"It was easy, from Minnesota, to cheer on South Carolina as the confederate flag came down at state office buildings."

Green_Degrees coverIt was easy, from Minnesota, to cheer on South Carolina as the confederate flag came down at state office buildings. When it was suggested that the Twin Cities might want to clean up its own symbolism, as embodied in the lake named for slavery enthusiast John Calhoun, the conversation stalled out pretty quickly — partly because the history of African-American people in Minnesota is not well known.

“Black people have been in Minnesota since before statehood, yet there is very little about them in the history books. As a result, we have this idea that Minnesota never participated in slavery, and life here has always been equitable for black people. Of course, neither of those things is true,” says historian and Augsburg College associate professorWilliam D. Green. “It’s easy to develop a sense of self-satisfaction. We can be proud of elements of our history, but complacency is not on the side of angels. White Minnesotans didn’t have to worry about quality of life issues that black Minnesotans endured. And as long as that history isn’t recognized, it will continue.”

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Published in: MinnPost
By: Amy Goetzman