St. Thomas College of Arts and Sciences Dean Yohuru Williams has elected to stay at St. Thomas to take a new position as a Distinguished University Chair, Professor and Founding Director of the new Racial Justice Initiative at St. Thomas beginning July 1, university President Julie Sullivan announced in an email on Wednesday.

Initially, it was announced in February that Williams was stepping down from St. Thomas to start a new position at St. John’s University New York. Sullivan wrote that George Floyd’s death and the “subsequent calls for justice in the wake of his murder” have brought the work that needs to be done in the Twin Cities to light.

“A noted scholar of the civil rights and black power movement, an education activist and frequent national commentator, Dr. Williams is an important voice on the topics of race and social justice,” Sullivan wrote. “This new initiative creates a platform for him to accelerate that work with the full support of the university.”

The Racial Justice Initiative’s work will begin July 1, Williams told the St. Thomas Newsroom. The externally facing initiative, Williams told the Newsroom, will facilitate research and explore partnerships in the community, all while encouraging and facilitating conversation about racial inequality in the United States.

“I have been involved in a number of these conversations across the country, and the RJI also will provide me a platform to continue that work while exploring ways to amplify efforts to rethink and tackle issues of racism and racial disparities in Minnesota and beyond,” Williams told the Newsroom.
As Distinguished University Chair and Professor, Williams told the Newsroom that he will find places on campus where people are already doing work and creating spaces for them to channel that work externally.

“The Racial Justice Initiative will support and sponsor authentic conversations around reimagining Minneapolis and St. Paul and leverage the research and resources at the University of St. Thomas that can be drivers of change in the community,” Sullivan wrote.

“Right now, Minneapolis and St. Paul are at the epicenter of national movement for substantive change. I opted to stay because I feel that this was an opportunity as a historian and advocate for racial justice to assist in this work,” Williams told the Newsroom.

During his time in the College of Arts and Sciences, Williams organized Teach-In-Tuesdays, which brought faculty, staff and students together to discuss topics like racial inequality and women’s suffrage.

He also launched the St. Thomas SOLV initiative in an effort to create community engagement for both students and faculty. Through SOLV, artists and nonprofits have collaborated with the university to create educational opportunities through topics like cultural identity and ecological challenges.

Current Associate Dean Mark Stansbury O’Donnell will begin to serve a two-year term as the interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences after Williams leaves the position July 1.

Emily Haugen can be reached at haug7231@stthomas.edu.