DR. WOODFIN LEWIS
Park's First Black Family

On September 26, 1952, the family of Woodfin E. Lewis moved from Ames, Iowa to a two-bedroom bungalow at 2928 Jersey Avenue in St. Louis Park. Lewis was a graduate of Fisk University, had a Master's degree from Howard University, and had completed two years toward a PhD from Iowa State College. A nuclear physicist, he had been recruited by the Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Co. to work at its Research Lab, then located at the site of the former Hennepin County Poor Farm in Hopkins. He came to the Park to be close to his new job – as a supervisor, he was required to be able to get to the Center when needed.

All of this would be impressive but not otherwise noteworthy except that the Woodfin family happened to be the first black family to move to St. Louis Park. Before they were accepted as tenants, their landlady, Mrs. Elaine Embretson of the Garden Village Apartments, made sure that the neighbors on either side of the house didn't have any objections. Lewis himself may have made sure that the neighbors knew they were planning to move in, with no opposition expressed.

Four days after they moved in, however, Mrs. Embretson had a change of heart and had her attorney draw up eviction papers. The Star reported her as saying "The St. Louis Park people called me and objected because they don't want their children to play with Negro children." She later stated that "people a mile or so away began to pressure me and to threaten my father-in-law's business," which was Embretson’s Hardware in Edina.

The threat of eviction caused immediate outrage in the community. Support for the family came from the business, political, and especially the religious community. Businessman Melvin Cooper vowed to "obtain the aid of Minnesota DFL leaders in preparing a petition to be presented to the village council, to enforce the constitutional rights of these citizens." The St. Louis Park Republican Association also joined the protest. Mayor Carroll Hurd was quoted as saying "If the case is to be decided on the issue of race and color, then those who favor segregation will take a licking - and I hope they do."

The Minneapolis Tribune ran an editorial decrying racism and the treatment of this “decent, well educated, responsible citizens.” Perhaps the most influential was a group of young pastors who had been meeting on a monthly basis to discuss the many issues that confronted them as their congregations mushroomed with growth in Park’s population. The group included Bennett Brudevold of Aldersgate Methodist, Paul Obenhauf of Wooddale Lutheran, Einar Martinson of Union Congregational, Lester Nelson of Evangelical Free, Norman Nielsen of Westwood Lutheran, Lloyd Nordstrom of Park Baptist, and Roger Schmuck of St. George’s Episcopal churches. Aldersgate pastor Bennett G. Brudevold described that after discussing the situation, the group agreed that the opposition was coming from a vocal minority and signed a joint statement stating that the objections to the family do not represent "either the majority or a true mind of the people of St. Louis Park as a whole or even the people in the immediate neighborhood." The group worked closely with the Mayor, the Village Council, and appeared before civic clubs in the area to get their support. Their efforts helped to shine light on the situation and generate support for the Lewis family.

Eventually a meeting was held between Lewis, Mrs. Embretson, and two representatives of the Minneapolis Urban League. An agreement was reached that allowed the Lewis family to remain in the house for six months. After that time, they moved to Portland Ave. in Minneapolis. Mr. Lewis became a member and served as secretary of the Minneapolis Urban League as a result of his experience.

There is a tragic coda to this story: in 1959, at the age of 36, Woodfin Lewis passed away from cancer after a yearlong illness. His research involved radiation, as clearly shown in photos taken at his job at Honeywell. He kept a Geiger counter at his home, and his children remember laughing when their father could make it go wild when he got near it. Daughter Ellen Lewis is writing about her family's experiences. She still has the geiger counter.

Also see Race, Creed, and Color, and "Invasion of the Colored People," from the Re-Echo.

 

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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.