DULUTH — Facing persistent disparities in health, employment and education, Duluth's black community will soon have a louder voice to influence city policy.
The Duluth City Council on Tuesday voted to create an African Heritage Commission, which will provide a forum for the community and act as an advisory board for the council and city administration.
The Duluth branch of the NAACP said the timing is right.
"The collision of historical and structural racism with the current health and economic crisis shines a bright light on deep disparities in our community. Duluth's communities of color are impacted disproportionately at this time," the group wrote in a letter to the council. "This commission will be a significant force for mending injury, as it brings to light and celebrates the gifts that strengthen our community."
About 3% of Duluth's 86,000 residents are black, according to census data. With a population that is 90% white, Duluth is less diverse than Minnesota as a whole, which is 82% white.
Unemployment is consistently higher among Duluth's black residents, and African-American high school students face graduation rates that have remained well below their white peers, according to the most recent data from the school district.
"We continue to see African Heritage community members disproportionately facing poverty and decreased life expectancies across our neighborhoods," reads the council resolution that created the commission. "The legacy of systemic racism still lingers in our community, inequitable policies continue to impact the health, welfare, safety, education, economic wealth and wellness of African Heritage community members."
Duluth created the American Indian Commission, now known as the Indigenous Commission, in 2002. That board ensures the indigenous community, about 4% of the city's population, is "incorporated in the decisionmaking, future planning, and stewardship of the city of Duluth."
