Thread by @MNDarkClouds

Let's talk about Rondo and the atrocity inflicted on it.

Before it was cut in half by I-94, St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood was a thriving African-American cultural center
minnpost.com/mnopedia/2017/…

"From the beginning, Rondo was a haven for people of color and immigrants."
"Beginning in the 1910s and 1920s, Rondo experienced a social and cultural boom. Music and theater flourished"

minnpost.com/mnopedia/2017/…

"Supported by the booming railway industry and local businesses, Rondo’s black families were upper-middle and middle class as well as working class. Integrated schools created a relatively high level of education and literacy among minority residents."

minnpost.com/mnopedia/2017/…

In 1956, the Federal Interstate Highway Act funds enabled construction on a freeway between downtown MPLS and downtown STP. The intended route chosen by MN Dept of Highways went straight through Rondo. A far less disruptive route to the north was ignored.
tchabitat.org/blog/rondo

In 1959 MN state legislation stripped localities of veto power over highway projects. 600 Rondo families, many of them working class, lost their homes. Leaders tried to convince city officials to support a fair housing ordinance but failed.
mnopedia.org/event/neighbor…

"Black-owned homes and businesses along a corridor in the heart of the city’s Black community — were soon cleared out for the incoming interstate highway, even though most of them weren’t directly in the path of the planned route."
tcdailyplanet.net/rondo-history-…

The eviction of residents was violent. Police forcefully evicted the Rev. George Davis with axes and sledgehammers which ensured he couldn't move back into his home.
mprnews.org/story/2010/04/…

The legacy of I-94 is the destruction, displacement and erasure of a vibrant Black community. It took until 2015 for something as basic as an apology from the city to be provided.
lohud.com/story/news/loc…

The last remnant of Rondo’s business community, a vacant two-story commercial building at 820-822 Rondo Ave., was torn down in 9/2013 and a funeral procession was held to mark its passing. A commemorative plaza was built in the spot:
aia-mn.org/rondo-commemor…

How can we learn about celebrate Rondo today? Read on for some resources you can access:

Rondo Days is a yearly week-long celebration of Rondo created in 1983. It is the largest African American sponsored festival in Minnesota:
rondodays.net

startribune.com/storms-scuttle…

In February, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity posted a conversation with Nick Khaliq, grandson of the Rev. George Davis who was evicted by force from his home:
tchabitat.org/blog/rondo

Rondo: Beyond the Pavement is a documentary about the destruction and resiliency of a St. Paul neighborhood made by students from St. Paul's High School for Recording Arts. You can watch it at their website:
rondobeyondthepavement.org

One of the students who made the Rondo: Beyond the Pavement grew up in the Rondo area. This is a story of the making of the film:
mprnews.org/story/2018/10/…

'Celebrating the Rondo Neighborhood' is an audio documentary created by KFAI:
beta.prx.org/stories/111766

Remembering Rondo: A History Harvest is an archive of the Rondo Neighborhood created by college students in collaboration with Rondo Avenue, Inc. It was created with contributions of historical artifacts from former and current Rondo residents:
omeka.macalester.edu/rondo/

The Rondo Neighborhood History Collection at the Rondo Library is a special collection, capturing and showcasing the rich history of the neighborhood.
guides.sppl.org/c.php?g=137028…

This MNOPEDIA page has even more resources that you can access to learn about Rondo:
mnopedia.org/place/rondo-ne…

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