Minneapolis, Atlanta, Los Angeles: Telling The Stories Of Protesters In These Cities

Published June 3, 2020 at 10:00 AM CDT

Protesters gather at a memorial for George Floyd where he died outside Cup Foods on East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, Monday, June 1, 2020, in Minneapolis. (John Minchillo/AP)

As protests continue across the United States, we check in directly with Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Atlanta to get the latest.

Guests

Angela Davis, host of “ MPR News with Angela Davis” on Minnesota Public Radio. ( @AngelaDavisMPR)

Rose Scott, host of “ Closer Look with Rose Scott” on WABE, an NPR station in Atlanta. ( @waberosescott)

Sandy Banks, columnist for the Los Angeles Times. ( @SandyBanksLA)

From The Reading List

MPR News: “ Floyd protests: How did we get here?” — “Demonstrators say it wasn’t only the killing of George Floyd while in police custody that led to this week’s protests in the Twin Cities — anger and frustration has been building for decades. MPR News host Angela Davis dives into the historical context.”

Los Angeles Times: “ As protests roll on, demanding the justice that leads to peace” — “I’ve been searching for something hopeful to latch on to in the week since we watched George Floyd dying on a Minneapolis street, handcuffed and pinned to the ground by a policeman’s knee.”

WABE: “ After Days Of Intense Protests, What’s Next For The City Of Atlanta?” — “We hear a roundtable conversation with local experts Illya Davis, director of the New Students & Transition Programs and professor of philosophy at Morehouse College, Maurice Hobson, author and associate professor of African-American Studies at Georgia State University and Nsenga Burton, professor, multimedia journalist and co-director of Film and Media Management at Emory University.”

MPR News: “ How will the Lake Street economy recover?” — “MPR News senior economics contributor Chris Farrell and Marcus Owens, executive director of the African American Leadership Forum, joined Angela to talk about the history of the business district along Lake Street in Minneapolis, the site of massive fires and destruction in the aftermath of George Floyd’s killing.”

Planet Money: “ Minneapolis Ranks Near The Bottom For Racial Equality” — “Last week, we shared findings showing how the COVID-19 crisis is making racial inequality worse. Since we published that newsletter, protests erupted in Minneapolis and spread throughout the nation — with marchers shouting “I can’t breathe,” the dying words of George Floyd, who was seen in a video with the knee of a Minneapolis police officer on his neck.”

Associated Press: “ Black female mayors take the spotlight amid protests and pandemic” — “Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms captured the nation’s attention when she addressed the civil unrest occurring in her city after George Floyd’s death.”

New York Times: “ How Minneapolis, One of America’s Most Liberal Cities, Struggles With Racism” — “Residents of Minneapolis swell with pride over their city’s sparkling lakes, glassy downtown, beautifully kept green spaces and bicycle friendliness that draws comparisons to Copenhagen. They see themselves as public spirited, embracing of multiculturalism and inspired by Minnesota’s liberal icons, Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale and Paul Wellstone.”

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.