Over and over again, he said it: "Believe your eyes. What you saw, you saw." Prosecutor Steve Schleicher, in final arguments to the jury in the Derek Chauvin murder trial, said: "It's exactly what you saw with your eyes. It's exactly what you knew. It's what you felt in your gut. It's what you now know in your heart. ... This wasn't policing – this was murder." Correspondent Martha Teichner asked professor Duchess Harris, a race scholar at Macalester College in St. Paul, "Whe

How will George Floyd and Daunte Wright be remembered? Will the conviction of Derek Chauvin on murder charges be taught as part of Minnesota history, and even U.S. history, in years to come? On this episode of MPR News with Angela Davis, Duchess Harris told host Angela Davis she believes the release of the bystander footage of George Floyd’s killing was a major historical moment. >> Listen now!

After former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all counts in the murder of George Floyd, how do we make meaningful change in our policing system to prevent future police killings? In this radio segment for WBEZ Chicago, Duchess Harris joins Ekow Yankah, professor at Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University, on Reset. >> Listen now!

According to Duchess Harris, a professor of American studies at Macalester College in nearby St Paul, Minnesota, a conviction will not change the entire system, but it does set an example in future cases, while the trial process itself was unprecedented, too. “I think that it will set legal precedent,” she said. “It’s going to have a different impact in the world of law than it would in society.” In the bigger picture, she says, the trial started new conversations among the n

American Studies and Political Science Professor Duchess Harris is the recipient of the 2021 Thomas Jefferson Award. The award was established in 1961 by the Robert Earll McConnell Foundation to honor members of the Macalester College community who exemplify the principles and ideals of the third President of the United States. Dr. Harris was selected by a committee of past Jefferson Award winners. “It was such a thrill to be able to bestow this award upon Duchess, who has ma

In this follow up interview with Al Jazeera, Harris adds insight into the defense's strategy in the Chauvin trial happening now in Minneapolis. >> Watch the video now!

In this interview for Al Jazeera Duchess Harris goes into depth on the trial of Derek Chauvin, and adds insight into the prosecution's case. >> Watch the video now!