Arthur and Edith Lee House, 4600 Columbus Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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Arthur and Edith Lee House | |
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| Address: | 4600 Columbus Avenue S |
| Neighborhood/s: | Field, Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| City/locality- State/province |
Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| County- State/province: |
Hennepin County, Minnesota |
| State/province: | Minnesota |
| Country: | United States |
| Year built: | 1923 |
| Primary Style: | Bungalow/Bungaloid |
| Secondary Style: | Arts and Crafts/Craftsman |
| Historic Function: | House/single dwelling or duplex |
| Current Function: | House/single dwelling or duplex |
| Material of Exterior Wall Covering: | Aluminum |
| Material of Roof: | Asphalt Shingles |
| Material of Foundation: | Concrete |
Arthur and Edith Lee bought the corner house in 1931, the lone black couple in an all-white neighborhood. Mobs that sometimes swelled to thousands of people surrounded the home to intimidate and force out the couple and their young daughter, who was 6 at the time.
But the Lees dug in. Arthur Lee’s fellow World War I veterans and postal workers turned out in force to protect the couple, and police protected the house for more than a year.
The Lees endured the hostility for about two years, before moving a mile north to the historically black Central neighborhood. Then the clash faded into history.
The story remained only as lore among south Minneapolis black families until the 2001 publication of research by law Prof. Ann Juergens. Her work focused on a longtime local NAACP leader who represented the Lees during those tense times.
Once the Lees’ story resurfaced, it touched off a decade long effort to preserve the story and the house.[1]
History
1923 the house was constructed
1927 Eugene Field Neighborhood Association restricts sale of home to Caucasians only
June 1931 Lee Family moves in
July 11-16 1931 Riots
1933 Lee Family moves out
Memories and stories
Photo Gallery
Related Links
Notes
- ↑ Site of racial showdown in Minneapolis heading to National Register, Steve Brandt, Minneapolis Star Tribune, July 24, 2014
