This project represents a new approach to heritage preservation in Minneapolis.

We began this project with community engagement and research. This first phase laid the foundation for the Minneapolis African American Historic and Cultural Context study. We describe the process, including the:

• Background
• Goals and timeline
• Outcomes

Funding

• The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund (AACHAF) grant funded this project. The AACHAF grant is from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
• The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation also supported the project.

Photo: 1980s image of the groundbreaking event for The Way Community Center. Located at 1913 Plymouth Ave. N., The Way was an important African American community gathering space in north Minneapolis.
Photo credit: Hennepin County Library

Consultant team

We hired a consultant team to do community outreach to gather feedback:

• Lange Johnson Development
• Equity Strategies, LLC
• 106 Group 

Lange Johnson Development has worked with many underrepresented communities in the Twin Cities. They have led many conversations and encourage collaboration among stakeholders. 

Engagement project

The engagement project:

• Focused on the needs and wants of the Black community
• Sought feedback about:
  • Important places and events
  • Neighborhoods of interest
  • People who shaped the history of Minneapolis
• Welcomed knowledge and expertise of all community members.
• Built on past efforts of community members to document African American heritage.

Watch videos of the engagement events

A baseball game at Phyllis Wheatley Settlement House. It was located at 804 Aldrich Ave N.
Photo credit: Minnesota Historical Society

Potential future actions

This project is the first step toward creating a comprehensive Historic and Cultural Context study. The study will guide future actions related to historic resources such as:

• Landmark and historic district designations
• Historic interpretation efforts
• Plaques
• Monuments
• Online resources
• Guided tours  
• The development of future heritage preservation tools 

Timeline

• Community engagement meetings (October to November 2021)
  See videos of meetings
• Draft report completed (February 2022)
• Final report approved (October 2022)
• Continued outreach and report publication (January 2023 to present)

View the African American Community Engagement final report

The Nacirema Club was located at 3949 Fourth Ave. S. This music venue was a popular social spot.
Photo credit: Minnesota Historical Society

Final report

The final report includes:

• A summary of community engagement activities and presentation materials
• A draft outline for a historic context about African Americans in Minneapolis
• An initial list and map of places in the city that may be significant to the African American community.

We need to do more research and engagement before we can formally recognize places. The City has not initiated the local designation process for any property as a result of this project.

Next steps

• We received two grants to fund the next phases. 
• In the second phase, we will write the context study. 
• In the third phase, we will list properties to the National Register of Historic Places. 
• We continue to engage with project stakeholders and interested community members.

The intersection of 38^th St. E. and Fourth Ave. S. was known as Black Wall Street.
Photo credit: Minnesota Historical Society