North Star Journey

A century after a Black church burned, a call to acknowledge history

Brown's Chapel AME — the only place where Black residents of Hastings could worship — was burned by arsonists in 1907.

Davu Underwood Seru speaks during a presentation called “Breaking the Silence”
Davu Underwood Seru speaks during a presentation called “Breaking the Silence” at First Presbyterian Church in Hastings, Minn. on Sunday. The storytelling event chronicled the history of Hastings’ Black residents.
Stephen Maturen for MPR News
This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment's Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.