December 28, 2017 — January 3,2018 Vol. 84 No. 21 www.spokesman-recorder.com
PRST STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID TWIN CITIES MN PERMIT NO. 6391
THE VOICE OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY SINCE 1934
— See Arnellia Allen on pg. 7
As 2017 comes to an end, MSR kept the stories coming through its 83rd year of publication
Press conference, Yanez trial verdict
Mayor-elect Melvin Carter, St. Paul
Lynx Championship MTC rally, Emma Pachuta By Judith Hence Editor-in-Chief
This year
Mpls Chief Medaria Arradondo being sworn in Photo courtesty of Pete Rhodes
as in the previous 82 years of our publication, the Minnesota SpokesmanRecorder published hundreds of stories and photos of people, especially African American people, responding to the never-ending trials, tribulations, challenges and triumphs that are an inevitable part of life in the state of Minnesota, particularly St. Paul and Minneapolis. The Lynx won the 2017 WNBA championship and, as Charles Hallman, MSR staff writer, said, “Not since the Minneapolis Lakers played here in the 1950s…have the Twin Cities seen such a successful pro team as the Minnesota Lynx.” MSR was recognized for providing the most thorough coverage of women’s sports among local media. The next big event headed for Minneapolis will be the Super Bowl, and you can be sure we’ll be covering the action here in the MSR. The Twin Cities is proud to claim
powerful and successful African American women who have made major contributions in leadership and services. Sabathani Community Center honored five such notable women with Leadership Awards to celebrate their history and contributions: Sharon Sayles Belton, Monique Linder, Willie Mae Demmings, Tracey Williams-Dillard and Judge Pam Alexander. These and many other women leaders were featured in our pages in 2017. The political scene was busy, too, with diversity firsts in city hall: Melvin Carter became St. Paul’s first African American mayor, Andrea Jenkins and Phillipe Cunningham were elected Minneapolis’ first transgender council members, and, after 150 years, Medaria Arradondo was appointed Minneapolis’ first African American chief of police. We will be following the activities of these elected and appointed officials, among many others, in the stories to come. And there were rallies. People came out ■ See 2017 on page 5
New full service building in North Minneapolis
Appetite For Change/Breaking Bread
Mayor Hodges, Josie Johnson, Chief Arradondo, Clyde Bellecourt
Photos by Chris Juhn unless otherwise noted
Protest following the inauguration of Pres. Trump Photo by Paige Elliott
Sharon Sayles Belton, Steven Belton
Thor ground breaking
Leadership Award recipients Sharon Sayles Belton, Monique Linder, Willie Mae Demmings, Tracey Williams-Dillard and Judge Pam Alexander
In Memorium
Lebron Riley
Lynda D. Jackman
January 26, 1960 — December 23, 2016
February 27, 1946 — December 24, 2016
Marion Mildred Majors McElroy
March 16, 1922 — January 22, Lynda D. Jackman, 70, passed 2017
Passed away in his home on December 23, 2016. Born on Jan- away peacefully on Christmas uary 26, 1960, Lebron described Eve, December 24, 2016 at her himself as the “original” Leb- home in Bloomington, MN surron, and a son, brother, uncle, dad, rounded by loved ones. She was grandfather, great grandfather, the wife of Wallace (Jack) Jackfriend and man who knew him- man. They shared 52 wonderful self. years of marriage together.
Marion Mildred Majors McElroy passed away on January 22, 2017. Marion was born to Andrew and Ruth Majors on March 16, 1922 in Minneapolis, MN. She was a trailblazer and her accomplishments are many.
Lillian Frances Lazenberry Martin
Celestia Bernice Fraction Claudia WallaceCelestia Bernice Fraction Gardner
passed away January 9, 2017 in Age 68 of Minneapolis, Chicago, Illinois at age 97. She passed away November 6, 2017. was a former longtime resident of Celebration of Claudia’s life will Lillian Frances Lazenberry Minneapolis and retired from the be held Saturday, January 13, Martin passed away peaceful- Minneapolis Community College 2018 from 11:30 am to 3:30 pm at ly on Wednesday, September 13, as founder of The Learning Assis- Coffman Memorial Union The2017. She was born Lillian Frances tance Center. The center is ded- ater, University of Minnesota Warmsley on March 10, 1928 in icated in her name. She was also Twin Cities campus. Pleasant Hill, LA to Kelly Warms- a longtime active member of Zion Baptist Church and in the comley and Joanna (Price) Warmsley. munity.
March 10, 1928 — September 13, 2017.