About Phyllis Wheatley Community Center

Phyllis Wheatley Community Center opened its doors in 1924 as a settlement house. The center was the first agency in the Twin Cities dedicated to meetingthe human service needs of a growing African-American community. Throughout the agency's history, it has reinvented itself to respond to the changing needs and conditions in the community.

In its early years, Phyllis Wheatley was a safe place for young African American women to seek shelter, receive guidance and marketable skill development.  Gradually, the agency became the center of the African American social scene and it evolved into a home-away-from-home for numerous African-American civic leaders, educators, entertainers and students. The Wheatley, as it was called, was the only place in Minneapolis where non-whites were permitted to lodge during those days. 

Today Phyllis Wheatley programs address the needs of children, youth, families and elders by providing tailored education and skill building opportunities to help individuals and families discover their strengths, develop their personal networks of support and take control of their futures.

The second home of Phyllis Wheatley Community Center on Aldrich Avenue North housed its Mary T. Wellcome Child Development Center, a gym, auditorium, and apartments. The building was later demolished to make way for Interstate 94.