Little Earth

Little Earth is a residential housing area in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States that is home to nearly 1,500 people, many of whom are American Indian. The residential housing association at Little Earth considers itself a united people of 39 different American Indian tribes, but the area is not an urban reservation, a common mischaracterization.[1][2] Little Earth is located in the Phillips community of Minneapolis. While being a notable district, it is not one of the officially designated neighborhoods in the city.

Little Earth
Unofficial district
Little Earth community in Minneapolis, 1980
Little Earth is within the Phillips community in the U.S. city of Minneapolis
CountryUnited States
StateMinnesota
CountyHennepin
CityMinneapolis
Area
 • Total2.3 sq mi (6 km2)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total1,500
 • Density650/sq mi (250/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
55404
Area code(s)612

Demographics

In the 2010s, the population of Little Earth fluctuated between 1,200 and 1,500 people, with children comprising half the total. Almost all of the households had a reported income of less than $10,000 per year.[3] Little Earth has been described as being at the heart of Minneapolis' Native American community. American Indian people represent 7 percent of the broader Phillips area in the southern part of Minneapolis, which is also city's poorest area with 48 percent of people living in poverty.[4]

History

Little Earth was founded in 1973 as an affordable housing project in Minneapolis. The residential community was built out in the 1970s, becoming a 9.4 acres (3.8 ha), 212-unit housing complex at approximately East 24th Street and Cedar Avenue in the south Minneapolis area. Beginning soon after its founding, Little Earth and the surrounding community has been at the center of the American Indian Movement.

As of the 2010s, the Little Earth housing complex was the only American Indian preference, project-based Section 8 rental assistance community in the United States.[5][6] The community's residential association, Little Earth of United Tribes, has filled a need for social services to residents by offering empowerment counselors, bike rentals, family therapy, tutoring, and homeownership opportunities.[7]

During the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul in May and June of 2020 community members organized safety patrol during the nights of heavy rioting, arson, and looting. Located less than one mile (1.6 km) from Lake Street, residents set up barricades to keep protesters from marching through the neighborhood, fearing it would result in property destruction and law enforcement actions.[8] The effort was credited with saving more than 20 businesses on Franklin Avenue.[9] Residents also organized nightly safety patrols, paid for lights at a park, and trained community members in de-escalation tactics, efforts some hoped would serve as a new model for policing in the city.[8]

Geography

The Little Earth community is located within the Phillips area of Minneapolis. On the eastern edge of the community along the Hiawatha transit corridor, the Little Earth Trail, a multi-use pedestrian and bicycle path, connects people to business and services from Franklin Avenue to East Lake Street. Several American Indian organizations are in the broader Little Earth area, such as Minneapolis American Indian Center, the Native American Community Clinic, the Native American Community Development Institute, and the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center.[4]

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See also

References
  1. Anderson Jr, G.R. (26 July 2006). "Little Earth: The Troubles". City Pages.
  2. "Our Organization". Little Earth Resident's Association. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  3. Roper, Erik (22 March 2016). "Amid strife, Little Earth residents work for reform, harmony". Star Tribune.
  4. Campbell, Alexia Fernandez (12 October 2016). "How America's Past Shapes Native Americans' Present". The Atlantic.
  5. Little Earth of United Tribes. "Little Earth: History". Little Earth Residents Association. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  6. Mark (28 September 2018). ""Little Earth" Documentary Film MRAC Grant". Inverted Arts.
  7. Williams, Timothy (13 April 2013). "Quietly, Indians Reshape Cities and Reservations". The New York Times.
  8. Burks, Megan Burks and Martinez, Kathryn Styer (27 July 2020). "Little Earth patrols might be a preview of a new style of policing". Star Tribune.
  9. Hopfensperger, Jean (11 June 2020). "American Indian patrol in Minneapolis credited with saving buildings during protests". Star Tribune. Retrieved 12 June 2020.

Further reading
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