Anoka-Ramsey Community College Art Committee Pays Tribute to Civil Rights Activist Anna Arnold Hedgeman Through Commissioned Painting

February 03, 2020

On Monday, Feb. 24 at 1 pm, the Anoka-Ramsey Community College Art Committee will unveil a newly commissioned portrait to honor the life of local Civil Rights Activist, Anna Arnold Hedgeman.

The event will include remarks from the committee and artist Leslie Barlow, and the premiere of a spoken word piece by Tish Jones.

Hedgeman Painting Unveiling Event
Monday, Feb. 24
1 pm
Anoka Ramsey Community College Coon Rapids Campus
Student Center 140 (base of Grand Staircase)

Event is free and open to the public. For more information contact Rachel Breen at Rachel.Breen@anokaramsey.edu or 763-433-1245.

In March 2018, Thomas Sugrue, New York University (NYU) Professor of History and Cultural Analysis, gave a talk broadcasted by Minnesota Public Radio on his book that explores the forgotten struggle for civil rights in the northern U.S.  The book and his talk highlighted the remarkable life of Hedgeman.

An Anoka, Minn. native, Hedgeman was the first African American graduate from Hamline University. Hedgeman lead an incredible career in civil rights working on issues including equality within the YWCA, housing discrimination, police brutality, workers’ rights, economic justice, desegregating blood banks and military contracting during WWII.  She was active in the 1948 Democratic Convention when Hubert Humphry called for a civil rights plank to the platform and was the only woman to be on the planning committee for the 1963 March on Washington.

According to Sugrue, her long years of activism laid the groundwork for the 1964 Civil Rights legislation and in 1966 she cofounded the National Organization of Women. Hedgeman continued to fight for justice and civil rights until her death in 1990.

Inspired by Sugrue’s talk and Anna Arnold Hedgeman’s incredible life, the Anoka-Ramsey Art Committee commissioned a portrait with local artist Leslie Barlow for the college’s Coon Rapids Campus.

“I was inspired to promote the project after hearing Dr. Sugrue’s talk,” shared Erick Wiger, the member of the art committee who initiated the project.  “While her work was largely in New York and Washington, my hope is that students, faculty and staff can all be inspired by this local woman who changed the world.”