Roy Wilkins Center

THE ROY WILKINS CENTER for Human Relations and Social Justice (RWC) is a joint endeavor by the University of Minnesota and the Roy Wilkins Foundation to honor the memory and continue the work of the eponymous social activist and leader. It was founded in 1992.

The RWC's mission is to “undertake research to guide and empower policymakers and community leaders to develop and promote solutions to the problems of racism and racial and ethnic inequality.” The main activities of the RWC have been research, dialogue, and community partnerships. It is part of the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and was inaugurated as the only endowed chair and center in the memory of Roy Wilkins in the United States. The chair was endowed with $2 million and its first holder was the economist Dr. Samuel L. Myers, Jr.

Roy Wilkins (1901–81) was a leading black American civil rights activist who rose to become elder statesman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He also achieved prominence for his newspaper work and in organizing events such as the 1963 March on Washington. Throughout his life he worked to promote racial equality through nonviolent means, specifically through the legal system, and abhorred racism in all its forms, including the concept of black supremacy. Under his leadership, the NAACP provided legal support for some militant groups and solidarity with nonviolent direct action groups.

The RWC continues to explore the questions that drove Wilkins: what is the nature of social justice for all and how can it be achieved? The goals of the RWC are inspired by this quest and are stated as “Promote discussion on issues of discrimination, inequality, and racism by bringing together concerned stakeholders from all communities and disciplines to propose innovative, well-rounded solutions. Foster discussion and bridge building within and among the different communities of color to help them discover their common interests, discuss their differences, and work together to advance the needs of all people of color. Conduct quality research on issues of most pressing concern to minority populations to understand the causes of these concerns and propose solutions to them. Educate greater numbers of students of color in public policy to help their communities gain a more active role in policy discussions and decision-making that affect people of color.”

These goals have been approached through research, outreach activities, the production of reports and videos for public distribution, and other forms of dialogue. Dialogue is interracial and interdisciplinary and is used to help create innovative curricula and learning opportunities for students, who can then be inspired further to meet the RWC's goals. International conferences were held in 1996 and 1998 devoted to remedies to racial and ethnic economic inequality and these helped to build bridges with researchers in other countries working in similar fields.