It’s been five years since the last Rondo Days celebration in 2018. Those jubilant celebrations showcased the best that the Rondo community, the Black community, had to offer—music, marching bands, healthcare tents, arts and crafts, and great food. They hold a significant place in our history and identity.
Although the festival was co-founded in 1983 by Marvin Anderson and Floyd G. Smaller, older St. Paulites remember the origin of the festival—the decimation of the economically vibrant Black community called Rondo, which was home to many Black businesses, homes, and landmarks such as Hallie Q. Brown Community Center, Pilgrim Baptist Church, St. Peter Claver Church, and the Sterling Club.
From 1956 to 1968, It would become a victim of urban revitalization, a slow 12-year death by bulldozers, as the MN Department of Transportation made room for Interstate 94.
It took years for the Rondo community to rebound from the devastating effects of urban revitalization, and many acknowledge it will never regain what was lost. However, this generation’s unwavering commitment to restoration and maintaining a living tribute through the Rondo Days celebration is a powerful testament to the community’s resilience and hope.
Yusef Mgeni, a proud product of old Rondo, speaks passionately about his youth in the thriving neighborhood. His personal experiences, from attending church and school to falling in love and developing life-long friendships, embody the spirit of Rondo and Rondo Days, creating a sense of shared history and belonging.
Mgeni shared, “As the associate editor of the Spokesman/Recorder back in the early ’70s, I wrote the first editorials encouraging Twin Citians and folks who spent any time in Minnesota to come to the Capital City and help celebrate the first Rondo Days in 1983. I also facilitated a retreat for the early Rondo Board of Directors and helped them clarify their vision for the organization and the future.”
The lifelong St. Paul resident also gave his opinion on the essence of Rondo Days. “So, what are Rondo Days, and what do they represent? The Rondo/Selby-Dale or Summit University neighborhood is the home of Saint Paul’s longest-standing African American community. Rondo Days are a time for celebration, family reunions, partying, meals provided for and served to senior citizens, and generally just getting together to relax and have a good time,” he explained.
“In past years, Rondo Days has included a golf tournament, a parade, food trucks, a dance, and a daylong celebration on the lawn behind Hallie Q. Brown, with live music and fun for all ages. Needless to say, Covid put the brakes on nearly every gathering, large or small, and Rondo Days was one of the casualties.”
Due to age, co-founder Marvin Anderson is now 90 and has stepped away from official festival duties. “I’m no longer involved and kind of moved on from Rondo Days about four years ago,” he said. “It’s now under the direction of Gayle Smaller, son of Floyd Smaller, and Nick Mohammed, two younger men.”
Anderson directs all questions on this year’s festival to Smaller and Mohammed. But he adds humorously that the return of the festival this year is “like watching your son or daughter come back home after four or five years with no idea of what they’ve been doing.” He adds that he supports the new festival managers “100 percent.”
This year’s Rondo Days celebration will feature hip-hop legends, MC Lyte and Rakim. In a press release, Rondo Days board member Mohammed is quoted as saying, “We are excited to bring back Rondo Days and to have such iconic figures in hip-hop as MC Lyte and Rakim headlining our event. This year’s celebration is about remembering our past, celebrating our present, and inspiring our future.”
St. Paul Ward 1 City Councilmember Anika Bowie states, “I am grateful that we can partner in gathering the community to celebrate one of the most important legacies and demonstrations of resilience in Minnesota history. As a descendant of Rondo, my sense of community service, collective ownership, and identity were heavily influenced by Rondo Days. We are eager to uplift, celebrate, and continue the legacy of Rondo’s story through supporting this event.”
Mgeni concludes by speaking on the unifying power of Rondo Days. “If Minneapolis had a Juneteenth celebration and Urban League Family Day, St. Paul has celebrated Rondo Days and, for the past 24 years, added the Selby Jazz Festival as well.
“While Rondo was divided into two distinct neighborhoods—Cornmeal Valley, East of Dale Street, and Oatmeal Hill, west of Dale Street—it is really one neighborhood, one extended family, regardless of what you refer to the neighborhood as. Rondo Days is open to everyone.”
The festival press release also says the event will feature a kids’ area, local hip-hop artists, food trucks, and various vendors, promising a day filled with fun, community, and culture.
Rondo Days will occur on Saturday, July 20, from noon to 7 p.m. at the MLK Recreation Center, 271 N. Mackubin Street. It is free and open to the public.
Updated July 18, 2024: A previous version of this story erroneously stated that Floyd G. Smaller had passed away. Floyd G. Smaller is alive. We apologize for the error.