Join us at this FREE music and storytelling event that pays tribute to the vibrant legacy of St. Paul’s historic Rondo neighborhood and looks ahead to a future of healing and reconnection.
Through a moving blend of music, storytelling, and archival imagery, Rondo '56 immerses us in the soul of a once-thriving Black community—disrupted and divided in the 1950s by the construction of Interstate 94.
Guided by four musical hosts, the event features oral histories, historic photos, and the unforgettable sounds of Nat King Cole, Dinah Washington, Mahalia Jackson, Big Mama Thornton, and more. It paints a portrait of Rondo in its heyday—a place alive with family, business, culture, and deep community bonds.
More than a memorial, this event is also a re-enactment and a reckoning—an opportunity to feel, understand, and remember. But equally, it is a moment to inform, inspire, and envision what comes next.
Rondo '56 presents the “why” of the Rondo Land Bridge—a project of deep significance aimed at repairing the harm caused by I-94 and physically reconnecting the community that was torn apart.
Through this event, we will share updates on the progress of the land bridge, highlight the work of ReConnect Rondo, and open space for dialogue on how art, memory, and expression can shape our understanding of justice and belonging.
This is a celebration of legacy, a call to action, and a vision for the future.
You may also like the following events from Lexington-Hamline Community Council:
Also check out other
Arts events in Saint Paul.
