DIESEL DIESEL HEART

The world premiere of Diesel Heart is playing at History Theatre, 30 E. 10th Street, St. Paul, now through-April 2, 2023.

A play by Brian Grandison, Diesel Heart is inspired by Melvin Carter Jr.’s “graphic, honest, no-holdsbarred” autobiography Diesel Heart. The adaptation to the stage leaves audiences crying and laughing with joy.

Directed by Warren C. Bowles, Diesel Heart, is the story of a leader who created a powerful family legacy by standing up for what is right, even in the face of adversity.

Melvin Whitfield Carter Jr., father of the current and St. Paul’s first Black mayor, is a true son of Rondo. He grew up in the Rondo neighborhood in the 1950s and ‘60s. As a student, he struggled in the classroom and on the streets. As a young man, he enlisted in the US Navy and was stationed in Morocco where he used his skill inside the boxing ring to win matches and earn self-respect. After his return home, he joined the St. Paul Police Department as an affirmative action hire where he continued to fight crime and battle racism on the streets and within the police department. His stories and perspective on life are joyfilled and passionate. From his father’s example, he became and continues to this day, a steady and constant presence in the community, in the city that spawned and nurtured him.

From his mother he inherited a spirit that doesn’t back down or walk away from the fight to seek justice. Carter’s story illustrates that the journey we take to find our voice is never clean or straightforward. “The process of working with Melvin was fun and educational and it’s impossible to see or think about the city of St. Paul the same way.

Beyond being knowledgeable and having a specific and unique take on life and family and community, Melvin has a huge heart. His personal roots go but a lot of his relationships cut deeply, as well. And he still nurtures those friendships that go back several generations,” said