A St. Paul church is making reparations for racism in the housing system
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A few weeks ago, Minnesota Now listeners heard from the writer of a History Theatre play called “Not in Our Neighborhood.” The play tells the story of Nellie and William Francis, a Black couple who faced racist harassment and threats when they moved into the all-white Mac-Groveland neighborhood of St. Paul in 1924.
Around that time, Pilgrim Lutheran Church was founded in Mac-Groveland — less than a mile away from the Francis home.
Now, almost a century later, the predominantly white congregation is undertaking a reparations project to atone for its “tacit participation in the system of housing segregation.”
The project is called “In My Neighborhood,” and Katia McDonough is helping lead it. She joined host Cathy Wurzer to talk about the project.
Our theme music is by Gary Meister.
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