An Evening with Dr. Yohuru Williams: Paradox—Echoes of Police Reform
March 18, 2026 I 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Purchase Tickets Here: An Evening with Dr. Yohuru Williams.
As Black History Month marks its centennial and we approach Women’s History Month, the YWCA St. Paul invites the community to an evening of reflection, reckoning, and resolve with Dr. Yohuru Williams—renowned historian, author, and co-creator of the PBS documentary Paradox: Echoes of Police Reform.
Drawing on more than a century of Black history, Paradox traces the long, unfinished struggle for public safety and police accountability in Minneapolis, revealing startling continuities between past reform efforts and the crises we face today. Dr. Williams—author of eleven books and a frequent contributor to PBS, the History Channel, and national media—will place this history in context, challenging us to confront how reform has too often been promised, postponed, and undone.
The evening will feature selected clips from Paradox, remarks by Dr. Williams, and a moderated Q&A, followed by a closing remarks from Ashley Booker, Chief Executive Officer of YWCA St. Paul. Together, they will reflect why supporting the mission of YWCA St. Paul remains essential to building safety, dignity, and justice for women, families, and communities today.
This special event also serves as a fundraiser in support of YWCA St. Paul’s vital work advancing racial justice, equity, and opportunity. At a moment when history is echoing loudly, this evening calls us not only to remember—but to act.
Tickets are limited. Purchase a “Pay it Forward Ticket” for $65 and this allows a community memeber free access.
Purchase tickets here An Evening with Dr. Yohuru Williams
Equity in action – each $65 purchase allows a community member to attend for free.
- If you are a community member and want to attend for free, simply go to Zeffy and add a community access ticket: An Evening with Dr. Yohuru Williams
- We have limited space and our 50 tickets are moving fast
If you are a donor and interested in underwriting this event, please either donate here: Donate – YWCA St. Paul and add in the name of the event in the notes section; or email Michelle Heyn at mheyn@ywcastpaul.
YOU EACH MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN BUILDING AN EQUITABLE MINNESOTA.
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More About Dr. Williams
Dr. Yohuru Williams is Distinguished University Chair, Professor of History, and Founding Director of the Racial Justice Initiative at the University of St. Thomas. He received his Ph.D. from Howard University in 1998.
Dr. Williams is the author, editor, and/or co-author of eleven books, including Call Him Jack: The Story of Jackie Robinson, Black Freedom Fighter; After Life: A Collective History of Loss and Redemption in Pandemic America; Rethinking the Black Freedom Movement; In Search of the Black Panther Party; and More Than a Dream: The Radical Roots of the March on Washington. He is also the co-author, with Michael Long, of the children’s adaptation of Jonathan Eig’s Pulitzer Prize winning biography King: A Life, expanding access to the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for younger readers.
In addition to his scholarship, Dr. Williams is deeply engaged in public history and media. He is a regular contributor to the History Channel and has appeared on numerous local and national radio and television programs, including ABC, CNN, MSNBC, Almanac, BET, and NPR. He was featured in the Ken Burns PBS documentary Jackie Robinson and the Stanley Nelson PBS documentary The Black Panthers. Most recently, he served as a historical consultant and co-creator of the PBS/Twin Cities Public Television Documentary Paradox: Echoes of Police Reform, which examines the history of public safety and policing in Minneapolis.
Dr. Williams’ scholarly articles have appeared in Insights on Law and Society (American Bar Association), The Organization of American Historians Magazine of History, The Black Scholar, The Journal of Black Studies, Pennsylvania History, Delaware History, The Journal of Civil and Human Rights, and The Black History Bulletin.