North Minneapolis Church Marks 100 Years, Preserving Black and Jewish History
The First Church of God in Christ in north Minneapolis celebrated its centennial on June 2, 2026, in a building originally constructed in 1926 as a Jewish synagogue. The event brought together Black and Jewish community members to honor the shared history of the space.
The First Church of God in Christ in north Minneapolis turned 100 years old on June 2, 2026, marking the occasion with a celebration that brought together Black and Jewish community members to honor the building's layered history.
The structure at 810 Elwood Avenue North was built in 1926 as the Tifereth B'nai Jacob Synagogue by Jewish immigrants. In 1957, an African American Pentecostal congregation took over the building and renamed it First Church of God in Christ - Graham Temple.
Inside, the original Jewish art remains intact. Trompe l'oeil murals, zodiac imagery, a wooden Torah ark, and a ceiling painted to resemble a night sky are all still visible. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in November 2024.
Senior Pastor Tierre Webster said the dual heritage of the space is something the congregation takes seriously. "It's exciting for both of our narratives," he said at the centennial event.
Architectural historian Marilyn Chiat, who attended the celebration, said the building documents a chapter of Minneapolis history that is rarely told. Both Jewish immigrants and African Americans who settled in north Minneapolis in the early 20th century faced housing discrimination and found community in the same neighborhood.
David Sussman, 77, recalled visiting the synagogue as a child. "It makes me feel good knowing the old neighborhood is still here," he said.
Webster said he hopes to establish a museum inside the building to document both communities' histories. Chiat called it "a positive story" and noted it is the second synagogue in Minnesota and the third African American congregation to receive National Register recognition.
