Jim Crow Laws in Minnesota (2026): The Hidden History Revealed
Here’s something most people don’t know. Minnesota didn’t have official Jim Crow laws like the South did. But that doesn’t mean segregation didn’t happen here. In fact, Minnesota created its own version of racial discrimination that some historians call “Jim Crow of the North.”
Let’s break down exactly what happened in Minnesota. You might be surprised by what you learn.
What Were Jim Crow Laws?
Jim Crow laws were state and local rules that enforced racial segregation. They existed from the 1880s through the 1960s across America. These laws separated Black Americans from white Americans in schools, restaurants, buses, and nearly every public space.
The name came from a racist minstrel show character. Pretty offensive origin story.
In the South, these laws were brutal and public. Signs said “Whites Only” and “Colored Only” everywhere. Breaking these laws could get you arrested, beaten, or worse.
Minnesota’s Complicated History
Minnesota was actually progressive on paper. The state passed eight anti-segregation laws between 1877 and 1947. That sounds great, right? Hold on.
Here’s the reality. Minnesota never had official Jim Crow laws like Southern states. But the state still practiced segregation through other methods. Some call it “Jim Crow by another name.”
Minnesota did some good things early on. In 1869, the state banned school segregation. In 1885, Minnesota passed the Equal Accommodations Act. This law guaranteed Black residents equal access to public places and hotels.
Wondering if this actually worked? Not really.
How Segregation Really Worked in Minnesota
Minnesota used something called restrictive covenants instead of Jim Crow laws. These were legal clauses written into property deeds. They prevented non-white people from buying homes in certain areas.
The first one appeared in Minneapolis in 1910. A property deed stated that land could not be sold to anyone “of Chinese, Japanese, Moorish, Turkish, Negro, Mongolian or African blood or descent.”
Sound familiar? It’s basically Jim Crow but hidden in legal paperwork.
These covenants spread like wildfire. Between 1910 and 1960, thousands of properties across Minnesota had these racist restrictions. Real estate developers, city officials, and ordinary citizens all participated.
The Reality for Black Minnesotans
Black people who moved to Minnesota hoped to escape Southern Jim Crow. They were disappointed. Seriously disappointed.
Essie Pastel moved to Minnesota from Mississippi in the 1940s. She recalled being told Minnesota was “a better place than the south.” But when she arrived, she found something different. “I found out it wasn’t that much different,” she said.
Finding work was nearly impossible. Pastel applied for a dishwashing job and was rejected once they learned she was Black. This happened over and over.
Minnesota may not have had “Whites Only” signs. But restaurants refused to serve Black customers. Hotels turned them away. Employers wouldn’t hire them.
The Differences from the South
Here’s where things get interesting. Minnesota’s racism was different from the South in important ways.
In the South, violating Jim Crow laws meant brutal consequences. Lynch mobs killed Black people for minor offenses or false accusations.
In Minnesota, Black residents felt safer physically. They didn’t face the same level of violence. A Black man could defend himself against a racist insult without fearing death.
But that doesn’t mean Minnesota was good. The discrimination was just more subtle. More hidden.
The Duluth Lynching of 1920
Minnesota wasn’t completely safe though. On June 15, 1920, three Black circus workers were lynched in Duluth. Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson, and Isaac McGhie were accused of assaulting a white woman.
The accusations were false. Totally false.
A white mob of thousands dragged these men from jail. They beat them and hung them from a telephone pole. Police watched and did nothing to stop it.
This shocked the state. Minnesota thought it was better than the South. This tragedy proved otherwise.
Minnesota’s Anti-Lynching Law
One woman took action after the Duluth lynching. Her name was Nellie Francis. She was a Black activist and suffragist from St. Paul.
Francis drafted an anti-lynching bill. She lobbied the Minnesota Legislature tirelessly for months. She got support from W.E.B. DuBois and the NAACP.
The bill passed on April 20, 1921. Almost unanimous support.
This law was revolutionary. It allowed removal of police officers who failed to protect prisoners from mobs. It required officers to use all their power to stop lynch mobs. It also made lynchers pay up to $7,500 to victims’ families.
That’s about $108,000 in today’s money. Pretty serious penalty.
After this law passed, no more lynchings occurred in Minnesota. None.
Housing Segregation Gets Worse
While Minnesota banned lynching, housing segregation intensified. By the 1940s, racial covenants were everywhere in Twin Cities suburbs.
These covenants created all-white neighborhoods. Black families got pushed into small areas of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Neighborhoods like Rondo in St. Paul became predominantly Black because they had nowhere else to go.
Not sure what this looked like? Picture an entire city divided by invisible lines based on race.
The Supreme Court ruled covenants unenforceable in 1948. But they kept being used anyway. Minnesota finally banned new covenants in 1953.
The damage was already done. Housing patterns created by these covenants still exist today.
The Long-Term Effects
Restrictive covenants weren’t just about where people lived. They affected everything. Let me explain.
Families who couldn’t buy homes in certain areas couldn’t build wealth. Homeownership creates generational wealth for families. Black Minnesotans were systematically excluded from this.
Today, 78% of white families in the Twin Cities own homes. Only 25% of Black families own homes.
See the connection?
Kids in segregated neighborhoods went to underfunded schools. They had fewer parks and green spaces. They faced more environmental hazards. They had less access to grocery stores and medical care.
These problems didn’t disappear when covenants became illegal. They persisted for generations.
Education and the Achievement Gap
Minnesota has some of the worst racial achievement gaps in education. This isn’t an accident.
Housing segregation created school segregation. Black students ended up in schools with fewer resources. White students got better-funded schools in suburban areas.
A federal lawsuit was filed against Minneapolis schools in 1972. The court found the district practiced segregation through boundary decisions, transfer policies, and school locations.
The district was ordered to desegregate. But true integration never fully happened.
Today, Minnesota still struggles with massive educational disparities between white students and students of color.
Employment Discrimination
Minnesota passed a Fair Employment Practices law in 1955. Sounds good. But enforcement was weak.
Black Minnesotans faced constant job discrimination. Even with equal qualifications, they couldn’t get hired. When they did get jobs, they faced lower pay and fewer advancement opportunities.
Honestly, this happened all over Minnesota. Cities and small towns alike.
African American unemployment in Minnesota is still nearly twice the statewide rate. That pattern started during the Jim Crow era and never stopped.
The Civil Rights Movement in Minnesota
Minnesota activists fought back against segregation. The Minneapolis NAACP was founded in the 1920s. The St. Paul NAACP formed around the same time.
Minneapolis became the first city in the country to pass an enforceable Fair Employment Practices Commission. That happened in 1946 under Mayor Hubert Humphrey.
In 1961, Minnesota passed a state Fair Housing Act. In 1967-69, the state created comprehensive civil rights laws. These laws provided strong protections against discrimination.
But laws on paper don’t automatically change reality. Enforcement was the real challenge.
Why This History Matters Today
Minnesota suffers from some of the worst racial disparities in America. In income, homeownership, education, health, and incarceration rates.
You’re not alone if this surprises you. Many people think Minnesota is progressive and tolerant. The state has that reputation.
But the history tells a different story. Restrictive covenants, housing discrimination, and subtle segregation created deep inequalities. These inequalities didn’t disappear just because laws changed.
The murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020 brought national attention to Minnesota’s racial problems. But those problems have roots going back over a century.
What You Can Do About Historical Covenants
Many Minnesota properties still have racist language in their deeds. It’s unenforceable now. But it’s still there in the official records.
Several Minnesota cities have programs to help property owners discharge these covenants. Cities like Golden Valley, Columbia Heights, and others participate in the Just Deeds Project.
Want to remove a covenant from your property? Here’s what to do.
First, check if your property has one. Visit the Mapping Prejudice website to see mapped properties in Hennepin County. Contact your county recorder’s office for other counties.
Second, determine if your property is Abstract or Torrens. This affects the removal process.
Third, complete a discharge form. Many cities offer free legal help through the Just Deeds Project.
This won’t fix everything. But it’s a meaningful step toward acknowledging and addressing this history.
Current Efforts to Address Past Discrimination
Minnesota communities are working to confront this history. Educational programs teach about restrictive covenants. Memorials honor victims of racial violence.
The Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial in Duluth honors the three lynching victims. It opened in 2003.
In 2020, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz declared June 15 as Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson, and Isaac McGhie Commemoration Day. This marks the anniversary of the Duluth lynchings.
Schools are incorporating this history into curriculums. Communities are having difficult conversations about race and inequality.
It’s ongoing work. Painful work. But necessary work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Minnesota have official Jim Crow laws?
No, Minnesota never passed official Jim Crow laws requiring segregation. However, the state practiced segregation through restrictive housing covenants, employment discrimination, and informal social barriers.
When did restrictive covenants start in Minnesota?
The first restrictive covenant appeared in Minneapolis in 1910. These covenants spread widely until they were ruled unenforceable in 1948 and banned by Minnesota law in 1953.
What was Minnesota’s anti-lynching law?
Minnesota passed an anti-lynching law on April 20, 1921, after the Duluth lynchings. The law removed police officers who failed to protect prisoners and required lynchers to pay damages up to $7,500 to victims’ families.
How did segregation in Minnesota differ from the South?
Minnesota’s segregation was less visible and violent than the South but still pervasive. Instead of “Whites Only” signs, Minnesota used restrictive covenants and informal discrimination to achieve similar results.
Are restrictive covenants still legal in Minnesota?
No, restrictive covenants became unenforceable in 1948 and were banned in Minnesota in 1953. The federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 made them explicitly illegal nationwide. However, the language still exists in many old property deeds.
Final Thoughts
Minnesota’s history with Jim Crow isn’t what most people expect. The state didn’t have Southern-style segregation laws. But it created its own system of racial discrimination.
Restrictive covenants, housing discrimination, and employment barriers created deep inequalities. Those inequalities persist today in education, wealth, health, and opportunity.
Understanding this history is crucial. You can’t fix problems you don’t acknowledge.
Minnesota is still working through these issues. Communities are having hard conversations. People are taking action to address historical wrongs.
This history belongs to all Minnesotans. Learning it, confronting it, and working to create a more equitable future is everyone’s responsibility.
References
- Minnesota Historical Society. “Racial Housing Covenants in the Twin Cities.” MNopedia. https://www.mnhs.org/mnopedia/search/index/thing/racial-housing-covenants-twin-cities
- Minnesota Public Radio. “Up South: Jim Crow Laws Didn’t Extend to the North.” https://www.mprnews.org/story/2002/02/12/upsouth
- Americans All. “Jim Crow Laws: Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota and Mississippi.” https://americansall.org/legacy-story-group/jim-crow-laws-massachusetts-michigan-minnesota-and-mississippi
- Minnesota Journal of Law & Inequality. “The Harvest of Solidarity: Achievements of Black Activists Following the 1921 Duluth Lynchings.” April 11, 2022. https://lawandinequality.org/2022/04/11/the-harvest-of-solidarity-achievements-of-black-activists-following-the-1921-duluth-lynchings/
- Just Deeds Project. “History of Restrictive Covenants.” https://justdeeds.org/history/