Jackie Robinson Day 2026 raises the question of what Robinson would see in MLB today, as Black players hover around 7 percent of rosters and the Minnesota Twins lead with five Black players on their team.
Sports
Local and national sports reporting and commentary by the state’s leading African American sportswriters, including award-winning columnists Charles Hallman and Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald, with a special emphasis on the local prep scene and disparities in sports administration and media coverage.
Posted inSports
Where have all the Black voices in sports radio gone?
Black voices in sports radio are disappearing from national airwaves as veteran broadcasters Mark Gray and Kevin Stanfield reflect on decades of exclusion and the platforms keeping Black sports talk alive today.
Posted inThe Prep Scene
Fab Five Moments
Fab Five Moments covers Ashley Ellis-Milan’s resignation at East Ridge, Hopkins finishing runner-up at state, the Hallman father-son connection, St. Paul Central’s 50th anniversary and Omar McMillan’s John R. Wooden Award.
Posted inOdds and Ends
First-year coaches Terry, Smith named ACE’s Best in Black College Basketball
ACE Black basketball coaching honor roll 2026 recognizes Tierra Terry and Nolan Smith as Heads of the Class alongside Howard and Prairie View A&M head coaches.
Posted inOdds and Ends
Illinois Head Softball Coach Tyra Perry on 700 Career Wins, Big Ten Diversity and Building a Family
Tyra Perry Illinois softball coach reflects on 700 career wins, Big Ten diversity and the people who make coaching worth every moment in an MSR interview.
Posted inCoaching while Black
From the Arctic Circle to the Big Ten: Arica Nassar’s unlikely path
Arica Nassar joins the Minnesota Gophers volleyball staff as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, bringing overseas championship experience and a mission to increase representation in coaching.
Posted inThe Prep Scene
Reminder, South made it to state
Minneapolis South boys basketball state tournament 2026 Significant Six photos highlight the Tigers second appearance in three years and a standout season nobody saw coming.
Posted inCoaching while Black
Black women coaches lead on and off the court at Final Four Summit
Black women coaches are honored at the BCA Final Four Summit as Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin continues to elevate women’s basketball on and off the court.
Posted inAnother View
Black football players study: More than the game
Tackling the Everyday by Duke anthropologist Tracie Canada examines the lived experiences of Black college football players navigating academics, identity and exploitation at a PWI.
Posted inTimberwolves/NBA
Old? Not yet: Conley still has more to give
Mike Conley Jr. is back with the Minnesota Timberwolves and still chasing a championship at 39, reflecting on veteran leadership and what he still has to offer.
Posted inOdds and Ends
HBCUs still fighting for respect in March
HBCUs made the 2026 NCAA Tournament field in historic numbers for the first time since 1994, with five programs earning wins and sparking a conversation about long-overdue recognition.
Posted inThe Prep Scene
Chaska Totino-Grace capture state titles
2026 state boys basketball tournament Sensational Seven photos highlight champions and top players from Classes 4A and 3A.
Posted inOdds and Ends
‘Court Queens’ Gives women’s basketball its due
Court Queens by Jordan Robinson and Emma Baccellieri celebrates more than 130 years of women’s basketball history with Black women prominently featured throughout.
Posted inSports
Ashley Moore: Changing the game on and off Camera
Ashley Moore joins KARE 11 as the station’s first Black female sports journalist, ready to cover the Lynx, tell community stories and bring new energy to Twin Cities sports.
Posted inThe Prep Scene
Talented players representing in state tournament
Meet five standout 2026 Minnesota state boys basketball tournament players representing Minneapolis South, Tartan, Richfield and Totino-Grace.
Posted inAnother View
More than a game at The Barn
Minnesota advances to the Sweet 16 after a historic NCAA matchup against Ole Miss highlighting Black representation and leadership.
Posted inCoaching while Black
A wave of firings raises questions about equity in college coaching
Recent firings of Black college coaches highlight ongoing disparities in opportunity and job security in college basketball.
Posted inOdds and Ends
Minnesota connections highlight SWAC’s March Madness run
Minnesota athletes continue to shine across the SWAC and NCAA, highlighted by Ariel Bland and Nina Thorson.
Posted inAnother View
SWAC hoops put on a show in Atlanta, seeding debate remains
The SWAC basketball tournament highlights the strength of HBCU programs and their path to the NCAA tournament.
Posted inSports
Charles Hallman’s March Madness Tour Spotlights HBCU Hoops and Black Talent
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder sports journalist Charles Hallman took his annual March Madness coverage on the road, traveling to Tuscaloosa, Alabama (HBCUAC) and Atlanta, Georgia (SWAC) to highlight HBCU basketball and the impact of Black athletes. In between, Hallman stopped at Bethel University in Arden Hills to watch the Millsaps College women’s basketball team, which featured the […]