Hallie Q. Brown Community Center

The history of Black life in Minnesota extends back to the eighteenth century, with George Bonga and Dred Scott. Over 100 Black men fought for the North in the Civil War, and in 1868 the State of Minnesota gave Black men the right to vote.[6] Some of the first Black community organizations included the Sons of Freedom, founded in 1968 to provide information on jobs, housing and apprenticeships to new residents of Minnesota. The Robert Banks Literary Society formed in 1875 for social issues exploration and discussion. Black residents of 15 counties formed the Minnesota Protective and Industrial League in 1887 in St. Paul, to support homeownership, jobs and education.[7]

The origins of the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center date back to 1908, in the Rondo neighborhood. Black members of two St. Paul organizations (the Odd Fellows and the Masons) purchased six lots on Aurora Street between Kent and Mackubin, to organize efforts to serve the local Black community. An additional goal was to form more positive bonds with the white community. The first new organization resulting from these efforts was the Union Hall Association, which opened in 1914 and built a neighborhood center on one of the lots. The St. Paul Urban League and the YWCA working together supported programming there from 1923-1929. In 1929, the independent community center formed to continue its activities.[8] Originally located in the former Central Avenue Branch of the YWCA at 598 Central Avenue, HQB moved in 1930 into a former Masonic Hall at Aurora and Mackubin.[1][9][10] In 1972 the center moved to its current location in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Center at Kent Street and Marshall Avenue.[11]

The center held an essay content to determine its name, with the winning essay on the subject of Hallie Quinn Brown. Hallie Quinn Brown was the daughter of slaves who were highly educated and very active in the Underground Railroad. After graduating from Wilberforce University (a historical Black college) in 1873, Hallie began her work as educator in the black community. She served as Dean of Women of Tuskegee Institute with Booker T. Washington during the 1892/1893 year. She helped found the National Association of Colored Women (NACW). She returned to St. Paul twice, in 1929 and in 1947, speaking to Black churches and organizations. Her most popular publication, “Homespun Heroines” is the collection of life portraits of 60 history making African American women.[11]

The center started off as an independent human services provider, and has grown into a multi-service center. HQB provides the services that the community needs, as demonstrated by participation and by leadership awareness. In the past, new or temporary activities have included participation in polio vaccine programs, AIDS prevention, COVID vaccinations, and public community forums.[12][13] HQB provides administration of the MLK Center, which houses partners offering specialized services and programs. The Penumbra Theatre Company is also located in the MLK center. The city of St. Paul operates the MLK recreation center, also located in the MLK building.[11] One of HQB's core programs is its food shelf and related services. HQB’s food shelf is stocked with pantry items as well as fresh produce donated by local grocery program partners.[14] The center incorporates volunteers into much of its activities.[15] Ta-Coumba Aiken and Seitu Jones have worked with the center on art shows for children at the center.[16]

The Hallie Q. Brown Community Center supported growth in its art programming including visual arts, music, literature, and theatre.[17] As a result, the Black Arts Movement got its start and flourished. HQB's executive director at the time, Henry R. Thomas, formed a goal of launching a theater, and that became Penumbra.[18] In 1976, the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) awarded the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center a $150,000 grant[19] to further develop its cultural arts programming. The CETA funding enabled the appointment of Lou Bellamy, a theatre arts graduate student at University of Minnesota, as the center's cultural arts director where he later founded the Penumbra Theatre Company. Penumbra transitioned to a separate organization in 1991, still located at the Martin Luther King Jr location.[20]

The effect of the Covid pandemic on HQB has been intense, including a 400% increase in food-shelf usage. HQB increased their activities to meet that need, and also expanded their range to serve as a food hub for the Twin Cities. People made use of HQB's food shelf from around the metro, including Lakeville, Coon Rapids and Rochester.[21] During the pandemic HQB served between 50,000 and 100,000 pounds of food to other community partners every month.[14] During the pandemic HQB did not hire additional staff, and had fewer volunteers than usual.[21]

The Hallie Q. Brown Archive Project was completed in 2018, and its purpose is both to serve as a storehouse of history about the Rondo neighborhood and its members (including the center), and support awareness of Rondo's continuing legacy.[2] It was sparked by a historical photograph of black men and women in tuxedos and evening gowns. When community members started to identify family members in the photo, the archive project was launched.[22][note 1] Volunteer services and other support for the project was provided by BlueCrossBlueShield of Minnesota, the University of Minnesota, Macalester College, the Minnesota Historical Society and the Ramsey County Historical Society.[22]