Harris Honored on "50 over 50" List
The 2020 "50 Over 50" list celebrates recognizes Minnesotans over the age of 50 who have made significant contributions and achievements in their communities.
"Duchess Harris, who teaches American studies and political science at Macalester College, sees the world as her classroom. When the 51-year-old Vadnais Heights resident joined the school’s faculty in 1998, she was tasked with centering the Black experience in the curriculum. Frustrated with the lack of appropriate reading material, she decided to write her own. Her book, Hidden Heroes, was adapted into a play at Stages Theater and her exhibit, “The Human Computer Project,” is a permanent feature of the RACE: Are We So Different exhibit at the Science Museum of Minnesota. She is curator of the Duchess Harris Collection, a library of 100+ books for elementary and high school students that disrupt the mainstream narrative of American political history. She is also a member of Governor Tim Walz’s Board of Public Defense, helping to create a more just legal system for all Minnesotans."
