North Minneapolis has a turbulent history when it comes to racial segregation and other social justice issues. In the early part of the 20th century, North Minneapolis was a haven for people from marginalized communities, specifically the Jewish community and the African American community because they could not buy housing elsewhere in Minneapolis. This was enforced by racial covenants that pushed African Americans out of South Minneapolis, forcing them further and further north. Things grew worse after World War II. While there was no official segregation in Minnesota, it was still de facto law. Racial discrimination and anti-Semitic sentiment were on the rise, so much so that in 1947,  Minneapolis was called 'the capitol of anti-Semitism in the United States' by journalist Carey McWilliams. After that, the city began to tackle the anti-Semitism while ignoring the racial injustices that African Americans still faced. Tension between the two groups began to bubble up until it boiled over one hot summer night in July of 1967. There are varying accounts as to how the violence started, but it lasted for three days and consisted of looting, arson, and three shootings. A year before, the first Jewish mayor of Minneapolis, Arthur Naftalin, had acknowledged that African Americans in the city suffered from racism and vowed to do something about it. After the events in 1967, the problems continued. In the 1980s, there was a serious push to deal with the racial inequities in housing (cities versus the suburbs). Minneapolis and St. Paul united to form the Family Housing Fund in 1980, from which sprang up the Twin Cities Housing Development Corporation (1986) and the Twin Cities Community Land Bank. These organizations were supposed to help disadvantaged city dwellers attain more equitable housing, but, unfortunately, because of pressure from conservative suburban politicians who had a deeply vested interest in decrying social integration for the benefit of their particular suburb, all the good intentions foundered into nothing. This mentality continued into the 1990s. For as much as there were people agitating for change, there was an equal and relentless resistance that had power behind it. One of the organizations on the side of social justice was the Minneapolis Urban League. In 1928, they along with the St. Paul Urban League, were 2 of 42 Urban Leagues around the country. By the 1960s, they had Street Academies around the cities fighting for social change. This included pushing for community health programs and establishing voter education drives. In the 1990s, they had expanded to being able to reach over 25,000 people through education, individual client services, and more. The battle was contentious with the powers that be fighting against integration and social justice every step of the way. Even well-intentioned programs meant to help out residents of disadvantaged neighborhoods including North Minneapolis ended up benefitting the suburbs instead. Still, the pro side continued to tireless fight on the behalf of the disadvantaged people, starting at the grassroots level. In 1995, the NAACP took up the mantle and sued the state of Minnesota on the basis that the constant segregation had led to systemic inequality in the education system. As the grassroots efforts grew stronger including by parents in North Minneapolis, the suburban governments became more resistant. They did not have any commitment to integration although they gave lip service to it. Mandated busing was put on the table as was affordable housing, and the debate raged on. Despite all the efforts on the grassroots side, the power remained with the forces that were more interested in preserving the status quo for the suburbs than in desegregation/integration. Because the suburbs remained so stubborn on not having any subsidized, low-income housing in their neighborhoods for a variety of reasons, the cities were forced to choose between providing affordable housing in the lowest-income neighborhoods and thus reinforcing segregation, and providing no housing at all. Unfortunately, the struggle has continued to this day. If anything, it's only gotten worse so that Minneapolis, a liberal city that prides itself on its progressiveness, is also one of the most segregated cities in the country. Activists today are working as hard as ever to bring about equality in North Minneapolis and now there is some political will to make real and lasting changes.      

Environmental issues are inextricably entwined with social justice issues. and North Minneapolis has suffered for it. In 2013, Minneapolis came up with an innovative and progressive environmental plan that was praised by environmental activists, but critics pointed out that it did not seek any input from people in disadvantaged neighborhoods such as North, which are often the very areas that are the most affected by environmental disturbances.  For example, Minneapolis has a 12.5 degree difference between cities in districts that had been historically redlined and those that hadn't. One thing that emerged from the Minneapolis Climate Action Plan Environmental Justice Working Group was the establishment of a Green Zones Initiative. The Green Zones were established by looking at different environmental factors including air quality, soil contamination, and some housing issues on different neighborhoods and focus on the ones that are hardest hit. Generally, these are communities with people who are at a steep economic disadvantage as well as these issues go hand in hand. There was a study of the different neighborhoods to see which needed the most help and the first two Green Zones were the Northside Green Zone and the Southside Green Zone. The Northside Green Zone was established in 2017. The Northside Green Zone Task Force was created in 2018 and worked tirelessly to identify the environmental issues in the Northside and to create solutions to them. In early 2020, an environmental policy plan entitled the Northside Green Zone Work Plan (2020 - 2025) was enacted. The main focus of the policy is on achieving twelve goals in the five-year period. Those goals include: increase the availability of affordable housing and environmentally high quality housing; increase access to healthy affordable food by supporting local systems of growing, production, ad distribution; improve air and environmental quality in business and transport, and; focus community healing from historical trauma and root shock, using community-based approaches to healing and health. The goals are pretty general, but they do provide action steps for each goal. For example, with the goal of increasing affordable housing and environmentally high quality housing, some of the actions proposed are: advance proposals to pay utilities on an income-based sliding scale. Research Philadelphia's model; support the "Intentional Community Cluster Development" ordinance proposed by the Minneapolis City Council which allows for tiny house clusters of very low-cost housing, and; create a Northern Green Zone Master Plan for development sites for affordable housing and community development.      

North Minneapolis has some very interesting architecture, and some ties to some interesting people. Shingle Creek Elementary, located at 5034 Oliver Ave N. This school was originally built in 1958. The Mid-century building was unique in that it had several wings shaped as plus signs, connected by narrow hallways. It's what they call a "Cluster Design." It was designed with 3 classrooms in a "cluster" that make up 3 of the 4 points of the plus sign. Each cluster was connected to other clusters by hallways. It was almost torn down but as luck would have it, it now is a charter school called KIPP Minnesota Public Schools. Moving on, Have you heard of "Jenny Lind?" She was featured in the movie "The Greatest Showman" as the swedish nightengale. Although the movie takes some liberty with the real history of Jenny Lind, she really did donate money to many schools back in Sweden. Well, there is a Jenny Lind Elementary School and associated Bohanon Park, located at 5025 Bryant Ave N. This school is located in the neighborhood named after her as well, called Lind-Bohanon. The school was built in 1937 and torn down in 1988. A new building was built in 1995 on the same site following that and still stands today. Another building I've admired is the Mikro Kodesh building. Built in 1926 it was the Holy Assembly for the North Side Jewish community. It is on the historic register and it should be. It's a stately building. This building is currently in use as a church. If you are wanting to search for homes, or list your home for sale, click on the links below.