The Council was created by the Minnesota legislature in July 1980 (Minnesota Statutes. Section 3.9225). It has as its primary purpose to advise the Governor and legislature on the nature and intensity of issues confronting the state's Black populations. The formation of the Council was critical for Black Minnesotans because, historically, this population has been, and continues to be, underrepresented in the legislature and has had little access to the office of the governor or other policy makers.
