Transcripts

BRANDT WILLIAMS: 102 years ago, voters elected John Francis Wheaton to represent Minneapolis in the State House of Representatives. He was the first African American to serve in the Minnesota legislature. Now, Neva Walker is poised to become the state's first Black woman legislator.

NEVA WALKER: We are really making a dent in history.

BRANDT WILLIAMS: Walker is the DFL-endorsed candidate for the House seat representing the legislative district that stretches through the heart of South Minneapolis. It encompasses portions of the Whittier, Powderhorn, and central neighborhoods. According to the 1990 census, District 61B has the third highest percentage of people of color in Minnesota, at 49.9%. 35% of constituents are African American.

Though the district's boundaries have been altered slightly over the years, 61B is known as a DFL stronghold. Republican Andy Lindberg is expected to be Walker's only competition. Walker says the very real possibility that she could make Minnesota history just started to sink in at the DFL nominating convention held one weekend earlier this month.

NEVA WALKER: We've known that I would be the first Black woman, but Saturday is when I think it first really hit me. Russ Adams spoke right before I started to speak. And he put it in the context of Hubert H. Humphrey 52 years ago, the whole thing around affirmative action. And as progressive as Minnesotans say they are, let's put our money where our mouth is. And that's when it really hit me. And a tear came to my eye because--

BRANDT WILLIAMS: Walker is a 28-year-old activist and organizer, who was born and raised in South Minneapolis. She is the single mother of a 12-year-old son and comes from a family of seven siblings. She is the project coordinator for a United Way of Minneapolis Youth Program.

Political analyst D. J. Leary says there's a good reason why Minnesota has never elected a Black woman to the legislature. Few Black women run for political office. Leary says, traditionally, African American women have had more pressing matters at hand.

D. J. LEARY: African American women, for a whole variety of community and social reasons, economic reasons, just haven't been able to consider the idea of putting themselves forward for the voting gift of the public. In terms of representation, that's only come on in the last few years.

BRANDT WILLIAMS: Walker has the support of prominent DFLers, both Black and white, including the incumbent, Linda Wejcman, who is retiring after five terms in the House. Walker's supporters are also a mix of people of color and white activists. D. J. Leary says although some white people may be reluctant to vote for a Black candidate, he's hopeful that this will change.

D. J. LEARY: Oh, I think there's always a racial factor in every part of human endeavor when it involves Black and white. Hopefully, we become a little more mature about these, and there's a political maturity that comes with having seen the marvelous accomplishments that Black women have made in society.

BRANDT WILLIAMS: Walker says her accomplishments include activism at an early age. As an eighth grader, Walker organized her own basketball team by recruiting a coach, players, and finding opponents for her team to play. As an affordable housing advocate, she was one of 14 activists arrested last June in a protest against the demolition of public housing units in North Minneapolis.

NEVA WALKER: My brothers call me the rebel rouser, troublemaker. I believe that if I have the information, it's my responsibility to get that information on to other people. If I have the resources or if I know how to change the system, it's my responsibility to do that. And other folks should hold me accountable.

BRANDT WILLIAMS: If she's elected, Walker would be the seventh African American to serve on the legislature. The previous six were John Francis Wheaton, B. Robert Lewis, Ray Pleasant, Randy Staten, Richard Jefferson, and Greg Gray, who is the only African American currently in the legislature. I'm Brandt Williams, Minnesota Public Radio.