Many African Americans migrated to the North from the South upon being declared free people. Most came for opportunities to experience a new life and to build new foundations for their newfound freedom. For many, this freedom would mean a new and unpredictable journey. Towards the middle of the 20th century, this migration continued and brought with it a young man named Archie … [Read more...]
A roadmap beyond Black History Month
Black History Month (which kicked off on Feb. 1) became a national annual observance in 1926. The goal of the month is to honor and celebrate the achievements of African Americans. If Dr. Carter Woodson, the father of Black History, were alive today, he would be proud of the tenacity of the African American community. It speaks volumes about our survival here on this American … [Read more...]
Leroy King, Sr. remembers his namesake — King Supermarket — in N. Mpls
On June 24, 1975, almost 40 years ago, Leroy King, Sr. was the founder/owner/operator of King Supermarket. This African American family-owned grocery store was located at 2005 Plymouth Avenue North in Minneapolis. Currently that space is occupied by the University of Minnesota's Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC), and its new address is now 2001 Plymouth … [Read more...]
The Hickman-Parks family: generations of patriotism, activism, service
As the Emancipation Proclamation was declared and the American Civil War came to an end, there was still a lot of work to do and trails to travel for the freed African slaves here in America. It was the late 1890s when a group of approximately 40 Black families in Kentucky decided to head north, migrating to Minnesota and eventually landing in Fergus Falls. Many decided to … [Read more...]
The Davis family: contributors to Minnesota’s Black history
The year was 1867, and the Civil War raged on. A young man of Native and African American descent was sent to Fort Snelling, Minnesota, to be stationed there in the fight for freedom. He remained there for the duration of the war. His name: John Wesley Harper, the great grandfather of Harry Davis. In 1868 when the war came to an end, Harper decided to make Minnesota his home. … [Read more...]