Jim Crow of the North Stories

Since the release of Jim Crow of the North, words are becoming action. A city attorney in Golden Valley discovers her city's role in segregation and cofounds Just Deeds to rewrite racist documents. Oliver Lyle shares his experience of police harassment at the Golden Valley border, and his efforts to rewrite the law of the land. In this age of racial reckoning, Golden Valley works to make amends.

What does reparations look like in Minnesota? Free the Deeds, an artist-activist group raises awareness of the history of racial covenants in south Minneapolis through art, engagement, and the simple lawn sign. Cofounder Diver Van Avery offers a nuance approach to reparations, the challenge of getting majority-white neighborhoods to dive into difficult history, and how people can get engaged.

Free the Deeds activists want to raise awareness, but share stories of what homeownership means to Black families in Minneapolis. The stories of two Black families show the pain and power of choosing which neighborhood to call home: vibrant but undervalued Northside, or prosperous, unwelcoming Southside. An artist then turns those stories into art to help people engage with this difficult history.

Reparations for chattel slavery sound good, but what might that look like? In the wake of George Floyd's murder, some white homeowners in Minneapolis are taking action towards racial justice with their real estate. A complex but powerful new model could transform the homeownership landscape in Minneapolis, while some home sellers are choosing to incur major financial losses for racial equity.