As the civil rights conversation continues to expand on the national level, people of all backgrounds in local communities need opportunities to come together and be heard. NPL is dedicated to engaging communities through its Civil Rights Room in conversations about current issues of equality and intercultural development. The formalized training model NPL uses has expanded beyond local and state law enforcement to now include local community groups, other cities and diverse populations.

“Civil Rights and a Civil Society” is a non-reactionary program all community groups can use to have deliberate discussions about complex community dynamics. NPL uses archival images, oral histories and film footage from its Civil Rights Collection as a gateway to productive conversations about today’s prevailing issues involving race, law enforcement, civil liberties, societal challenges and equal justice. Through this historical framework, participants interact in an environment that encourages open conversation and facilitates greater understanding.

MNPD requires all police officer trainees to complete the “Civil Rights and a Civil Society” program. More than 900 law enforcement officers and trainees have participated. At NPL's last staff day, an MNPD chief visited the library to personally recognize Andrea Blackman and her team for this program. Through a recent expansion with funding from The Nissan Foundation, 879 students, 180 higher education students and 514 community and corporate organizations have also attended this training.