Speakers

Rev.  Richard Coleman, Pastor Wayman A.M.E. and Dir of Hope United CDC- The path to reconciliation.

Paul Walser, President NADA and local dealership owner

Paul Grangaard, Chairman and CEO, Faribault Woolen Mills

Frank M. White is a former athlete, coach, official, and sports administrator. He currently coordinates the RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) program for the Minnesota Twins.  He gained national notoriety with his book "They Played for the Love of the Game." 

A century before Kirby Puckett led the Minnesota Twins to World Series championships, Minnesota was home to countless talented African American baseball players, yet few of them are known to fans today. During the many decades that Major League Baseball and its affiliates imposed a strict policy of segregation, black ballplayers in Minnesota were relegated to a haphazard array of semipro leagues, barnstorming clubs, and loose organizations of all-black teams—many of which are lost to history.

They Played for the Love of the Game recovers that history by sharing stories of African American ballplayers in Minnesota, from the 1870s to the 1960s, through photos, artifacts, and spoken histories passed through the generations. Author Frank White's own father was one of the top catchers in the Twin Cities in his day, a fact that White did not learn until late in life. While the stories tell of denial, hardship, and segregation, they are highlighted by athletes who persevered and were united by their love of the sport. 

John Magnuson, Ex. Dir, MN. Assn. of Resources for Recovery and Chemical Health

Chris Newhouse, Matter, Dir. Ag. Programs, topic :  Zimbabwe