The goal of this resource list is to provide a beginning look at African American individuals that have had a significant impact on local history in Minnesota.
Because African American history has been underrepresented and documented, there’s been a lack of sharing this history in local school districts. It is important for the students at our schools and communities to have a better understanding and acknowledgement that African Americans have made positive contributions to the footprint of Minnesota, it’s beginning, it’s legacy and its history.
General Sources:
https://www.mnopedia.org/african-americans-minnesota
https://aaregistry.org/
WOMEN
1. Sharon Sayles Belton (May 13, 1951 – ), Politician, Activist
a. https://www.twincities.com/2016/02/09/15-trailblazing-black-minnesotans-you-should-know-more-about/
b. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharon_Sayles_Belton
2. I. Myrtle Carden (Dec. 13, 1905 – Aug. 23, 1950) Community Activist
a. https://www.twincities.com/2016/02/09/15-trailblazing-black-minnesotans-you-should-know-more-about/
b. https://aaregistry.org/story/i-myrtle-carden-community-activist-born/
3. Nellie Francis (Nov. 7, 1874 – Dec. 13, 1969) Civic Leader, Civil Right
a. https://www.mnopedia.org/person/francis-nellie-1874-1969
b. https://www.mnhs.org/votesforwomen/nellie-francis
4. Nellie Stone Johnson (Dec. 17, 1905 – April 2, 2002) Civil Rights Activist
a. https://www.twincities.com/2016/02/09/15-trailblazing-black-minnesotans-you-should-know-more-about/
b. https://www.mnhs.org/votesforwomen/nellie-stone-johnson
5. Dr. Josie R. Johnson (Oct. 7, 1930 – ) Educator, Civil Rights Activist
a. https://aaregistry.org/story/josie-johnson-a-committed-educator-and-activist/
b. https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/josie-johnson-39
6. Lisa Lissimore (Dec. 16, 1960 – ), Athlete, Administrator
b. https://www.mshsl.org/about/news/league-news/associate-director-lisa-lissimore-retire-april-30
7. Katie McWatt (Feb. 8, 1931 – Aug. 19, 2010) Educator, Community Activist
a. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2010/04/19/katie-mcwatt
b. https://www.mnhs.org/votesforwomen/katie-mcwatt
8. Deborah Montgomery (1946 – ) Community Activist, Politician, Police Officer
a. https://www.mnhs.org/votesforwomen/debbie-montgomery
9. Linda Roberts (May 6,1959 – ) Athlete
b. https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/linda-roberts-finally-gets-her-due/
10. Harriet Robinson Scott (1815 – June 17, 1876) Dred Scott Supreme Court
a. https://historicmissourians.shsmo.org/harriet-robinson-scott
b. https://www.mnopedia.org/event/dred-and-harriet-scott-minnesota
11. Lena O. Smith (Aug. 13, 1885 – Nov. 6, 1966) Minneapolis Lawyer, Civil Rights Advocate
a. https://aaregistry.org/story/lena-o-smith-a-first-in-minnesota/
b. https://www.mnopedia.org/person/smith-lena-olive-1885-1966
12. Marcenia Lyle Stone (aka Toni Stone) (July 17,1921 – Nov. 2, 1996) Athlete
a. https://www.mnopedia.org/person/stone-marcenia-lyle-toni-1921-1996
b. https://spokesman-recorder.com/2018/06/20/much-of-toni-stones-story-remains-untold/
MEN
13. Lou Bellamy (March 10, 1944 – ) Theatre Director, Founder Penumbra Theatre
a. https://penumbratheatre.org/lou-bellamy-2/
b. https://aaregistry.org/story/lou-bellamy-born/
14. George Bonga (August 20, 1802 – 1880) Fur Trader, Native interpreter
a. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Bonga
b. https://www.mnopedia.org/person/bonga-george-ca-1802-1874
15. Frank Boyd (November 17, 1881 – ) African American Labor Union Organizer, Activist
a. https://www.mnopedia.org/person/boyd-frank-1881-1962
b. https://www.minnpost.com/mnopedia/2021/03/st-pauls-boyd-park-commemorates-a-black-labor-leader/
16. Mahmoud El-Kati (Oct. 30, 1935 – ) African American educator, activist, lecturer
a. https://aaregistry.org/story/mahmoud-el-kati-a-walking-encyclopedia/
17. James Griffin (July 6, 1917 – November 23, 2002) Activist, historian, Police Officer
a. http://www2.mnhs.org/library/findaids/P1679.xml
b. https://www.mnopedia.org/multimedia/st-paul-police-deputy-james-s-griffin
18. Archie J. Givens, Sr. (Sept. 19,1919 – Mar. 30, 1974) Businessman, MN first Black Millionaire
a. https://www.frnng.org/cth-stories/blog-post-title-two-7dtbk
19. Stephen Edward Hall (Jan. 26, 1878 – Oct. 26, 1935) Businessman, Barber, activist
a. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._Edward_Hall_House
20. James’s “Cornbread” Harris Jr.
a. https://aaregistry.org/story/cornbread-harris-born/
b. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornbread_Harris
21. Rev. Robert Hickman (January 1, 1830 – February 16, 1900) Pastor
a. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/hickman-robert-t-1831-1900/
b. https://saintpaulhistorical.com/items/show/252
22. Solomon Hughes Sr. (Born 1908 – 19870) Golfer, Activist
a.http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/58/v58i08p382-393.pdf
b. https://www.shsga.org/life-and-legacy
23. Frederick McKinley Jones (Born May 17, 1893 – February 21, 1951) American Inventor
b. https://www.biography.com/inventor/frederick-jones
24. Jimmy Lee (Sept. 24, 1903 – Nov. 25, 1979) Athlete, columnist, sports official
b. https://www.minnesotablackbaseball.com/stories/james-jimmy-lee
25. Bobby Marshall (March 12, 1880 – August 27, 1958) Athlete, Lawyer
a.http://collections.mnhs.org/mnhistorymagazine/articles/59/v59i04p158-174.pdf
b. https://spokesman-recorder.com/2021/10/01/breakthrough-biography-reveals-bobby-marshalls-greatness/
26. Kwame McDonald (Apr. 20, 1931 – Oct. 28, 2011) Activist, Educator, Journalist
a. https://aaregistry.org/story/kwame-mcdonald-journalist-and-visionary-activist/
b. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2011/10/27/kwame-mcdonald-obit
27. Frederick L. McGhee (Oct. 28,1861 – Sept. 9, 1912) First Minnesota African American Lawyer
a. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/mcghee-fredrick-l-1861-1912/
b. https://aaregistry.org/story/fredrick-mcghee-first-african-american-lawyer-in-minnesota/
28. Cecil Newman (July 25, 1903 – Feb. 8, 1976) Civic Leader, Newspaper Publisher
a. https://www.mnopedia.org/person/newman-cecil-1903-1976
29. Gordon Parks (Nov. 30, 1912 – March 7, 2006) Photographer, Poet, Filmmaker, Activist
a. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Parks
30. Phil E. Reed (June 10, 1854 – Oct. 16, 1912) Owner St. Paul Colored Gophers
a. https://www.milb.com/news/saints-to-honor-st-paul-colored-gophers-phil-daddy-reid-on-july-27
b. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/02/23/books-black-baseball-minnesota
31. Dred Scott (1799 – September 17, 1858) Slave, Dred Scott Court Case
a. https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/dred-scott-case
b. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dred_Scott
32. Charles W. Scrutchin Esq. (1866 – 1930), Lawyer, Bemidji
a.http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/55/v55i02p059-075.pdf
b. http://bemidjihistory.com/wordpress/?p=397
33. Sandy Stephens (September 21, 1940 – June 6, 2000) American Football Player
a. https://aaregistry.org/story/university-of-minnesotas-first-black-quarterback-sandy-stephens/
b. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Stephens
34. Stephen Theobald (July 5, 1874 – July 12, 1932) Priest, Lawyer, Community Activist
a. https://aaregistry.org/story/stephen-theobald-was-a-spiritual-leader/
b. https://www.mnopedia.org/group/st-peter-claver-church-st-paul
35. John Frank Wheaton (May 8, 1866 – Jan. 15, 1922) Twin Cities lawyer, MN Legislator
b. https://www.mnopedia.org/person/wheaton-john-francis-1866-1922
36. Clarence “Cap” Wigington Architect
(April21, 1883 – July 7, 1967) First African American Municipal
a. https://www.mnopedia.org/person/wigington-clarence-1883-1967
b. https://www.rchs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/RCHS_Winter2000_Taylor.pdf
37. Roy Wilkins (Aug. 30, 1901 – Sept. 8, 1981) Civil Rights Leader, Journalist
a. http://www.african-american-civil-rights.org/roy-wilkins/
b. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Wilkins
38. Bob Williams (May 12, 1931 – Jan. 19, 2021) First African American for Mpls Lakers
b. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Williams_(basketball,_born_1931)
39. William “Billy” Williams (October 24, 1877 – 1963) Athlete, Asst to 14 Governors
a. https://aaregistry.org/story/william-billy-williams-served-14-minnesota-governors/
40. David M. Winfield (Oct. 3, 1951 – ) Prof. Baseball Player, HOF, Executive, Author
a. https://aaregistry.org/story/minnesotas-best-athlete-dave-winfield/
b. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Winfield
Additional Names:
1. Michael J. Davis, U.S. District Court (Chief) Judge
2. Arthur C. McWatt, Educator, Author, Activist
3. Father Denzel Carty, Episcopal Priest, Civil Rights Leader
4. Ethel Ray Nance, Civil Rights Activist
5. W. Harry Davis, American Civil Rights Leader, Activist, Boxing Coach, Businessman
6. Janabell Taylor, Hallie Q Brown, Activities Director, Activist
7. Mary Kyle, Publisher, Twin Cities Courier Newspaper
8. Pam G. Alexander, Lawyer, First African American Woman Judge in Minnesota
9. Alan Page, Former Prof. Football player, HOF, Lawyer, Associate Justice MN Supreme Court
10. Marvel Jackson-Cooke, Pioneering journalist, Political Activist