I have had a strong urging to write about my experiences growing up on the Northside of Minneapolis, especially after seeing the decline and almost demise of the neighborhood. I thought I would share it with you.
When I was seven years old, my family moved onto Russell Ave North from South Minneapolis (The house is pictured above).
It was considered a step up…
We were purchasing our first house and my parents put me in a private school
I was to attend Ascension Catholic School, so yes we were the affluent Black folks who lived in North Minneapolis.
We were NOT the only homeowners in the neighborhood, in fact, Mrs. Rhines one of my favorite African-American teachers owned a home a few blocks away.
There was a new development called Lyn Park, brand new houses and Black folks buying them, hmmm how much do we see that today?
My neighborhood was clean, like what you would see in a suburb
I was proud to live on the Northside
I could walk home from Plymouth Ave North after skating at the Roller Gardens with my friends and feel safe even with the Gang Graffiti spray painted on the buildings near Plymouth and Penn.
Plymouth Avenue North was the place to hang out safely, hundreds of youth, probably even thousands hung out there into the wee hours without the disturbance of the police, we played our music without the threat of being shot, it was our block.
Picture one of the movies from back in the day that showed teens bumpin’ their music, sitting on top the cars, laughing, eating and just having a good time. Even Caucasian movies showed this type of atmosphere. This is what we had.
We did everything in our own neighborhood. Those that lived in our capital city of Saint Paul would travel to the Northside just to socialize with us.
I am going to just mention a few names and those that grew up on the Northside will feel similar nostalgia. North Commons, The Y teen parties, Oak Park Community Center…I learned Black History every Saturday at Oak Park.
I was proud to live on the Northside
When did it all change?
Why did it all change?
I can’t remember the exact time it changed, but If I had to guess, I would say the late 80s, early 90s maybe
Prior to then, our neighborhood seemed stable, and then it happened…
Crime, poverty, gangs seemed to take over
I blame poverty the most, because without the poverty we wouldn’t have the others
I was no longer proud to live in North Minneapolis; it became taboo to say where I was from
I couldn’t wait to move away
Soon after I moved away to college, the house I grew up in was shot up and robbed. My mom was still there.
When did it all change?
Why did it all change?
I once was proud to live in North Minneapolis
Each year I would come home from college, the Northside seemed to get worse
Companies moved out of the neighborhood, crime and killings increased even though there is a police station sitting where we were able to socialize without any disturbances.
I wonder how much good the police station is doing besides adding to over 9 million dollar police brutality bill.
Now, March 2014, I can’t even get a shopping cart in a local Family Dollar on Broadway or get a hello, how are you through the bullet proof glass in Pizza Hut as a customer because I am in North Minneapolis. Why do we frequent these establishments? Why do we give our money to a company that feels that we are not worth a shopping cart?
The residents don’t protest for better treatment, the streets are dirty, many of the people walk around with no self-determination or pride…while some wait for their next check that they didn’t work for.
I don’t blame them, unless I am visiting North Minneapolis for a positive community event, my pride is usually stripped away by how I am treated or how I am not treated. I have a Master’s Degree, I am a business owner, I am leader in my community, a professor at a local college, but yet when I am on the Northside, I am just another “Nigga” who doesn’t deserve clean streets, great schools, good customer service, or clean and affordable living.
Let’s fight to clean it up and take it back!
I once was proud to live in North Minneapolis
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