New Book Release 4.2024
Ethel Ray’s world was a white world. She was born and raised in Duluth, Minnesota, where her family lived a life filled with marginalization, prejudice, and racism. She experienced constant comparison to whiteness—a place that held no space for her Black Southern father, William Henry Ray, or her white Swedish mother, Inga Ray.
Ethel Ray: Living in the White, Gray, and Black is a biography and coming-of-age story of Ethel and of her family’s life before, during, and after the horrific lynching of three young Black circus workers—Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson, and Isaac McGhie—on June 15, 1920.
This narrative is told through prose, poetry, and journal entries from an essential Black perspective that has never been heard before. Ethel Ray: Living in the White, Gray, and Black is one of those missing narratives that provides a voice for a complex experience here in the North that often is not spoken of in our schools, our halls
Author Karen F. Nance has worked as an attorney specializing in criminal defense and child support law. She is an advocate for children and adults with special needs. She also provides support to domestic and international adoptees. Karen is a licensed private investigator, a restorative justice facilitator, a mediator, and author. She is also the granddaughter of Ethel Ray Nance.
In Black Ink is a publishing arts initiative that provide opportunities for communities that have been disenfranchised historically, and continue to be presently. IBI’s cultural literacy programming mitigates the damage of economic, educational, and cultural inequities that are the result of past and current prejudice and discrimination.
PROGRAMS & INITIATIVES
SANKOFA SERIES AND EVENT
An annual event that provides an intergenerational forum to discuss critical and relevant issues concerning the community. An issue-oriented publication is produced to accompany discussions and events. Join us for the Sankofa Series & Events 2022.
LITERARY DATABASE
A repository of artists of African descent that contribute to and/or participate in the local publishing arts community in Minnesota. Author’s Database to Launch at the end of Spring 2021.
ELDER STORIES AND ARCHIVE
Elder’s Story and Archival Circles where elders gather to share stories of specific moments in time and/or accounts of their life stories. Stories, circle time and event are videotaped and archived for the purpose of building the IBI archival library. Until it is safe to resume circles, Elder stories will be collected virtually or one on one.
BOOKSTORE
ROOT WISDOM FROM THE ELDERS’ CIRCLE
Root Wisdom discusses the numinous, the mystical, and the supernatural world of the metaphysical. It represents the ancient spirituality of our common ancestors.
MR. RONDO’S SPIRIT
“Paul Rondo, a Pullman Porter, lived in the Rondo neighborhood before the Interstate 94 freeway was built in the 1960’s. Mr. Rondo tells about his life in Rondo and how it changed over time….”
JOEY AND GRANDPA JOHNSON’S DAY IN RONDO
Joey grew up in a historic African American neighborhood called Rondo during the 1940’s. On his weekly Saturday adventure with his grandpa, he learns about the rich cultural heritage of his community and the power of entrepreneurship.
TOWARDS AN AFRICAN EDUCATION: Selected Writings on the Education and Development of Children of African Heritage
Kasserian Ingera, “How are the children?” The Maasai warriors of East Africa would ask this most important question of each other in passing. The question is of the highest importance because it assesses the future of the community.
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