The human face of welfare reformJanuary 26, 2005 1:20 PMGov. Tim Pawlenty's recommendation to reduce the number of people eligible for what he calls Minnesota's "welfare health care" programs has returned to the fore debates over welfare and work reminiscent of American politics from a decade ago. New York Times reporter Jason DeParle is out with a new book on America's 1996 welfare overhaul called "American Dream: Three Women, Ten Kids and a Nation's Drive to end Welfare." DeParle gave this speech at a recent forum on welfare reform in St. Paul.
Activist Spike Moss honored for activismJanuary 21, 2005 4:48 PMCivil rights activist Harry "Spike" Moss is best known as a frequent critic of poor police treatment of African Americans. He has another side that most people don't see.
Welfare and the American DreamJanuary 21, 2005 10:20 AMHard work and sustained good luck make the difference as people try to escape welfare. A new book ponders why generations of families depend on government aid.
Bishops take poverty tour; call for "moral" state budgetJanuary 20, 2005 10:46 AMAs lawmakers try to close a $700 million deficit, the leaders of the state's two largest religious denominations want to put a human face on potential cuts to human services.
Reflections on a dreamJanuary 17, 2005 3:18 PMMinnesotans celebrated Martin Luther King Junior's life on Monday with marches through cold, city streets and at a morning breakfast. The day was a chance for powerful civic leaders and ordinary citizens alike to reflect on King's legacy.
Reflections on Martin Luther King Jr.January 17, 2005 1:20 PMNational Public Radio senior correspondent Juan Williams, who won a Pulitizer Prize for his history of the civil rights movement, "Eyes on the Prize," was the featured speaker Monday at the annual Martin Luther King holiday breakfast.
Remembering the civil rights movementJanuary 17, 2005 10:20 AMTwo scholars of the writing of Martin Luther King Jr. talk about changes in the civil rights movement and the lessons from historical accounts of the movement's crucial period.
What would Martin Luther King do?January 16, 2005 3:00 PMMonday is the official recognition of the birth and life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It's a day when many Americans reflect on King's work for justice and equality. For some it's an also opportunity to speculate about what King would say and do about today's divisive issues, including gay rights.
Differing views of "Girl Culture"January 14, 2005 4:00 PMThe Minnesota Center for Photography is running two exhibits that take viewers inside the world of women and girls. Lauren Greenfield's "Girl Culture" shows a spectrum of femininity from little girls to showgirls. Some Minneapolis girls didn't think their lives were well-represented in those images, so they took some photos of their own.
Sounds of BlacknessJanuary 13, 2005 11:20 AMA longtime jazz singer talks about the artists and civil rights leaders who influenced her life. And her son reflects on his own pioneering musical career.