Revitalizing the center of Des Moines’ Black hub

Center Street in Des Moines was once home to a thriving African American community with Black-owned pharmacies, hotels, grocery stores, clubs and more. “It was a good place to live,” said Richard Duncan, a former Center Street resident. “Neighbors looked out for their kids, your kids, they would discipline your kids as they would discipline their kids.”The community began to form during World War I. Fort Des Moines was the first and only training site for African American soldiers during the war. Later, it trained Black soldiers and servicewomen in World War II. When the war ended, many African Americans decided to stay and turned to a flood-ravaged, redlined neighborhood on Center Street. Soon after, Des Moines’ Black hub began to flourish. It all came to a halt in the 1960s when the city broke ground for Interstate 235. The interstate and the city’s urban renewal plan forced the Center Street community out. Many who once lived there now reside a couple streets to the north on 6th Avenue.Jasmine Brooks grew up in Des Moines by 6th Avenue. Today, she is the executive director of 6th Avenue Corridor, an Iowa non-profit focused on sustainable redevelopment of underutilized properties on 6th...