CANDO is kicking off Black History month this Friday with Smoke in the Pit!
Smoke in the Pit, located just on the edge of the Central neighborhood of Minneapolis is one of the neighborhood’s oldest operating Black businesses in the area, having served the southside for close to 30 years. Now operated by Dwight Jr, Smoke in the Pit was founded by Dwight and Ivy Alexander in 1998.
We Keep Us Safe - AND Fed!
CANDO is proud to sponsor 40 free meals this Friday (February 6th) starting at 1pm! Drop in to get chicken, ribs, catfish or some greens to fight back the winter blues.
Found us from out of town, or can’t stop in for the BBQ?
You can help Minneapolis feed it's neighbors at gofundme.com/f/support-dwights-restaurant-in-george-floyd-square
The population of Central is diverse and activist and has been since its inception. It may be all but forgotten today, but before Minnesota even became a state it had an African American community of free, educated, and influential black families who settled in the area.
Minneapolis was home to them fifty years before waves of Scandinavian, German, and Irish immigrants surged into the Twin Cities. The Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery on Lake Street and Cedar Avenue (on the National Trust of Historic Places) retains permanent evidence of that early settlement and its ties to abolitionist movement. The cemetery was founded in 1853 by Martin and Elizabeth Layman, among the founders of the First Baptist Church, a gathering place for abolitionists. Their cemetery was never segregated. The cemetery holds the grave of famous Black abolitionist leader William Goodridge; his son, an internationally renowned photographer, Glenalvin J. Goodridge; and his grandson Toussaint Grey. Goodridge’s network of friends included Fredrick Douglass and white abolitionist Wendell Phillips - for whom the Philips Neighborhood is named.
Excerpt from CENTRAL NRP PHASE II NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN
TIME TRAVEL BLACK: SOUTHSIDE SUNDAY WITH PLOT GALLERY
Join CANDO in uplifting southside’s own while honoring the Black roots of the Central neighborhood!
This Sunday, February 8th, we invite you to join us to time travel BLACK 200 years into Minnesota’s past - between 2-4pm at PLOT Gallery. Hosted by Asa-Azriel Rice in partnership with the Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization (CANDO), explore how one family legacy has impacted both our neighborhood - and our nation.
PLOT Gallery is a multidisciplinary art space located in George Floyd Square at 38th and Chicago Avenue. PLOT was founded in 2015 by Asa-Azriel Rice to create opportunities for incredible emerging and underserved artists, bridging the gap and connecting them with future collectors, while nurturing their individual talents.
plotgallery.com
3730 Chicago Ave S. ste A
Minneapolis, MN 55404