by Charles Bates

About the author: Charles Bates is a diversity counselor in St. Paul, Minnesota.

By most American standards, I am a successful man. I am moderately prosperous, a professional in my field, have good health, and my adult children love me. I have my problems, but who doesn’t? There may be one difference between you and me: I am a black male.

Many would say, “So, what’s the difference"” Let me answer you with what happened to me on Tuesday, November 23, 1994, my 52nd birthday.

A Criminal Suspect

Ihad just left a planning meeting with a corporate client, and was on my way to meet my partner at the Merriam Park library in St. Paul. When I entered the library to search for her, a law enforcement officer, who was...