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The Way

Home > MN90: Minnesota History in 90 Seconds > The Way

Learn about The Way Community Center, a historic non-for profit organization that fostered and incubated some of Minneapolis’s influential organizers and artists.

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Editor: Britt Aamodt

Producer: Eemanna Rivers

Editorial support: Emily Krumberger

Mixing & mastering: Chris Harwood

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Transcript

Welcome to MN90: Minnesota History in 90 Seconds.

[Music: Prince, "Dear Mr. Man"]

Recognize this tune? Dear Mr. Man is one of many Prince songs that commented on injustice. The Minneapolis-born artist was 8 years old when the 1966 northside racial and economic riots directly impacted his neighborhood. The riots - a community response to racial tensions - resulted in over 4 million dollars in damages.

Hoping to shift conditions of their neighborhood, community leaders built The Way community center, later renamed the New Way in 1975. With leaders like Syl Davis, Mahmood El-Kati and Verlena Matey Keke, The Way took root as both an organizing hub, and a creative hub as an incubator for the neighborhood's creative expression. Some of those creatives were Prince and 5-time Grammy-winner Jimmy Jam Harris.

[Music: Prince, "When Doves Cry" , transitioning to Janet Jackson, "What Have You Done for Me Lately"]

After 20 years, The Way closed when management changed to the United Way. In the 1980's, it was demolished and replaced with the city of Minneapolis' 4th police precinct, where community organizers and residents occupied the street outside the building after the 2014 police murder of Jamar Clark. In 2026 the memorial still stands honoring Jamar's life and the community continues striving towards a peaceful Minneapolis.

[Music: Prince, "Dear Mr. Man"]

MN90 is produced by AMPERS, diverse radio for Minnesota's communities, made possible by funding from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Online at MN90.org.