Kellen Reeves at the podium speaking about his father Mel Reeves / Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
Kellen Reeves / Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
Kellen Reeves / Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
Mourners at the funeral for Mel Reeves/ Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
Mourners saluting the memory of Mel Reeves/ Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
Travis Lee, a contributing photographer of the MSR talks about his friend Mel Reeves during the funeral. / Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
People attending the funeral react in laughter to a speaker’s remarks/ Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
The family of Mel Reeves listens to speakers. / Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
Congregants standing for a song at the funeral for Mel Reeves /Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
Thandisizwe Jackson-Nisan recited one of Mel Reeves’ favorite poems / Chris Juhn Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
Rose McGee, a community leader and owner of Sweet Potato Comfort Pie shares a story about Mel Reeves/ Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
Rose McGee recounts how Mel Reeves loved her sweet potato pies at his homegoing. Henry Pan/MSR 
Jamelia Pettiford singing at the funeral Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
Jamelia Pettiford singing at the funeral /Henry Pan/MSR) 
Mourners at the funeral for Mel Reeves/ Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
Two of Mel Reeves grand children walk to their seat after walking down the isle. /Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
People greeting each other at the funeral for Mel Reeves/ Chris Juhn Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
KingDemetrius Pendleton poses with an image he brought of the late Mel Reeves. /Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
A signature book was set out on a table with photos of Mel Reeves behind it /Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
Everybody stands for a song after being asked to rise from their seats for it. /Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
Everybody stands for a song at the funeral /Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
One of Mel Reeves grand children speaks about him during the funeral. /Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
Flowers at the funeral /Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
Flowers from the Center for Economic Inclusion /Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
Flowers from Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan/Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn 
Flowers from Communities United Against Police Violence /Chris Juhn/MSR Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn
Outpourings of love, respect, admiration, and gratitude were on full display during the January 13 memorial service for Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder (MSR) stalwart, journalist, and activist Mel Reeves.
Held at Shiloh Temple International Ministries in the heart of North Minneapolis, the Celebration of Life was also streamed online, allowing people to pay their respects from near and afar.
Earlier in the day, Reeves, who passed away suddenly on January 6, was honored by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as he declared January 13 “Mel Reeves Day,” crediting the late writer for his commitment to activism and justice.
Presiding over Thursday’s service was Senior Pastor Brian Herron of Zion Baptist Church, who also served as Reeves’ longtime pastor and friend. Thandisizwe Jackson-Nisan, who described Reeves as legendary, iconic and honorable, recited a rendition of one of his favorite poems.
Biblical scriptures from the Old and New Testament were read respectively by Deacon Andre Marshall of Zion Baptist Church and Matthew McGlory while Jamelia Pettiford delivered a passionate rendition of “Eyes on the Sparrow.”
MSR photographer and writer Travis Lee, a close friend of Reeves since the ’90s, spoke on behalf of the publication and its publisher, Tracey Williams-Dillard, by recounting Reeves’ last story at the paper and reflecting on the love he had for his son.
“Mel was so dedicated that even in his worst times and in dire sickness in the hospital, he called for his laptop to be brought to him,” Lee reflected.
On the love Reeves had for his son Kellen, Lee added, “One time Mel rented out two rooms at
the Embassy Suites for his son Kellen, who was 14 at the time. I said, ‘Mel, why are we renting
rooms at the Embassy Suites? We live in Minneapolis?’
Mel responded, ‘Well, Trav, my son Kellen is 14 now and he’s been going to a lot of people’s houses, and I want to let his friends know that we got it going on too.’ So, Mel rented two rooms at the Embassy Suites so that Kellen and his friends could play and that’s the kind of father Mel was.”
Lee likened Reeves to a “smoke detector” for injustice. “I would say a fire detector, but by the time the fire gets here, it’s too late. So when the lightest stench of injustice was in any process, Mel would smell it. Because you know, where there is smoke there’s fire, and there was Mel Reeves,” Lee said to applause.
Mel Reeves’ next of kin pose for a photo at the conclusion of the homegoing. /Henry Pan/MSR 
Mourners stand during Mel Reeves’ homegoing. /Henry Pan/MSR 
Mourners gathered at Shiloh Temple in North Minneapolis to honor the life of Mel Reeves. Reeves passed on January 6 after a fight with COVID. /Henry Pan/MSR 
Mourners gathered at Shiloh Temple in North Minneapolis to honor the life of Mel Reeves. /Henry Pan/MSR 
Mary Moriarty and Jess Sundin pray at Mel Reeves’ homegoing. /Henry Pan/MSR 
Pastor Brian C. Herron delivers a eulogy for Mel Reeves at his homegoing. /Henry Pan/MSR 
Mourners gathered at Shiloh Temple in North Minneapolis to honor the life of Mel Reeves. Henry Pan/MSR 
Greg Nelson, a former colleague of Mel Reeves, delivers a remembrance of him. Henry Pan/MSR 
Janet Nelson recounts how she had convinced Mel Reeves to travel to a cabin with them this coming year. Henry Pan/MSR 
Jonathan Michael Harris holds a program for Mel Reeves’ homegoing. /Henry Pan/MSR 
One of Mel Reeves’ grandchildren looks at a cake with a portrait of grandfather. /Henry Pan/MSR 
George Hoffman (l) and Wade Hampton, two of Mel Reeves’ chosen brothers, hold a portrait of him after his homegoing concluded. /Henry Pan/MSR 
Goddess Morningstar (l) and Kendrick Hall hold a portrait of Mel Reeves at his homegoing. /Henry Pan/MSR) 
Jonathan Michael Harris holds a program for Mel Reeves’ homegoing. /Henry Pan/MSR 
Pallbearers carry Mel Reeves’ casket to a hearse after the homegoing. /Henry Pan/MSR 
The hearse leaving Shiloh Temple after the funeral. / Chris Juhn Credit: Christopher Mark Juhn
Longtime friends George Hoffman, Greg and Janet Nelson, and Rose McGee, creator of Sweet Potato Comfort Pie, offered further remarks, as did grandson David Johnson, Pastor Herron, who offered the eulogy, and son Kellen Reeves, who spoke at length about his father’s work in activism and the love he had for his grandchildren.
Days after Thursday’s Celebration of Life, Kellen spoke with the MSR where he offered additional recollections about his father and what he wants people to understand about him.
“There are two things I want people to know about my father,” said Kellen. “He was motivated in power to do his work because of his faith and his belief in God. He read the Bible and really believed that it was calling him to do the work of justice and to care and stand up for people. He was operating on a call from God, and I believed this as well.
“I also want people to know that he was a loving father. I talk about him a lot as a loving grandfather because that’s the stage we’re in now, but he was a loving, present father.”
Reeves paused before reflecting on his own legacy. “What I want people to know about me is that I’m a product of my father and a mother that raised me and the city raised me too,” Reeves explained.
“When you grow up the son of a revolutionary, you have revolutionary tendencies, so I take that
with me.
“What’s funny is that I recently started a new job, and we work with young adults or ‘opportunity youth’ as we call them,” Reeves continued. “I share this because we’re at a non-profit that’s dedicated to racial equity, and I remember telling them about growing up in South Minneapolis and how it
wasn’t too far from the George Floyd tragedy.
“This led me to talking about my dad and how he was on the news and in the middle of the fight. So, there I was talking about my father during the interview process. At the end of the day, I am my father’s son, and his legacy will always be with me. It’s an honor to be his son.”