St. Paul mayor, local alums talk historically Black colleges, universities

Next month many young people are heading to college, and some of them are heading to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

While HBCUs might not be household names in Minnesota, students and graduates of these 107 schools represent a thriving culture and network, especially in the southern United States.

Some of Minnesota’s leaders, including Melvin Carter — St. Paul’s first Black mayor — are alumni of HBCUs.

On Monday, host Angela Davis brings back a conversation she had earlier this year with Carter and three other local graduates of HBCUs to talk about their experiences attending schools created for Black students — and the importance of these institutions today.

Guests:

• Melvin Carter is the first Black mayor of the city of St. Paul. He’s a graduate of Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Fla.

• Frederick Harris is a neurosurgeon at Twin Cities Orthopedics, where he specializes in spine and brain care. He previously had a career as an engineer for NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense. He’s a graduate of Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, La.

• Meredith Moore is a leadership coach at Leverette Weekes, a leadership development and communications company in the Twin Cities. She has worked for Comcast and 3M, as well as McDonald’s Corporation. She’s a graduate of Howard University in Washington, D.C.

• Keisha Houston is a chief of staff and strategy program director at Medtronic. She previously worked in pharmaceutical sales for Colgate-Palmolive. She’s a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, N.C.