Sara Jean Roberson

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Roberson, Sara Jean 1930-2020 Sara Jean (Sells) Roberson was born July 19, 1930 in Freeborn County, Minnesota to Ben Sells and Lelia (Loveless) Sells, and died on July 2, 2020. She attended Macalester College, graduating in 1952 with a degree in sociology. She later attended the University of Minnesota and received a degree in elementary education. Sara taught in the Mpls. Public Schools from 1970 - 1996. She was actively engaged in the desegregation movement of the 1970s, and the Human relations/rights programs of Education Minnesota and the National Education Association. During her teaching years, Sara built an extensive and comprehensive collection of children's books written by authors of color and Indigenous people. Today her collection of more than 750 books, teaching materials, and papers is housed in the Givens Collection of African American Literature and the Kerlan Collection of Books for Children. Sara was preceded in death by her sister, Ann Sells Jacobs, and is survived by another sister, Mary Paulsen of Medelia, MN, and two children: John Roberson Jr. of Minneapolis, MN and Loriann Roberson of New York, NY. A memorial service and life celebration will be announced within a year.

Published on October 18, 2020