HSSU celebrates Small Business Saturday
@stlouisamerican
@stlouisamerican
St. Louis American See page B1
The
CAC Audited DECEMBER 5 – 11, 2024
Serving, empowering and advocating for equity in St. Louis since 1928
stlamerican.com
A story of Trans-Atlantic horror and triumph
Author Kwesi Essel-Blankson visits Griot Museum
See GRIOT, A6
COMPLIMENTARY
VanOstran picked to replace Wesley Bell By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American
By Ashley Winters The St. Louis American While African American history has long been politicized and targeted by right-wing zealots, the agonizing story of the nefarious slave trade, which brought many Black families’ first forebearers to these shores, must never be forgotten. In acknowledging the horror of slavery and the ultimate triumph of Black Americans who endured this shameful and heinous period of U.S. history, The Griot Museum of Black History welcomed Kwesi Essel-Blankson, author of “Our Story: Cape Coast Castle & The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade” on Tuesday evening. The Ghanian Cultural free event, held in
Vol. 96 No. 35
Photo courtesy of Griot Museum
Kwesi Essel-Blankson, author of “Our Story: Cape Coast Castle & The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade,” has been a tour guide at the Cape Coast Castle for over 20 years. In 2009 he led a tour with former U.S. President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Malia and Sasha.
St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page has announced that Cort VanOstran will replace St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, and he has the future congressman’s full support. VanOstran will fill Bell’s unexpired term, after his election to the United States Congress in November. Bell will be sworn in Jan. 3, 2025, and plans to remain on the job for Cort St. Louis County until VanOstran Jan. 2. Bell said that VanOstran “is a fan of this office [and] likes what we are doing.” “He believes his first step as a leader will be to emphasize listening and also learning from our talented and experienced staff.” VanOstran has Wesley Bell resigned as an assistant U.S. States Attorney in the Eastern District of Missouri, where he prosecuted fraud, embezzlement, identity theft, conspiracy, drug distribution and firearms offenses. “Cort VanOstran is a proven public servant. As a federal prosecutor, he’s worked to protect victims of crime. As an attorney, he’s represented everyday
See VANOSTRAN, A6
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
10th Ward Alderwoman Shameem Clark Hubbard and Rung for Woman CEO Leslie Gill (at podium) present Valerie Patton with a new pair of tennis shoes during her retirement luncheon on Tuesday. Dec. 3, 2024. at the St. Louis Marriott downtown. Patton is retiring after 20 years of service in the St. Louis corporate world. Her last four was with Greater St. Louis Inc.
Valerie Patton, corporate force retires after stellar career ‘There’s still much work to be done’
By Namratha Prasad St. Louis American After more than 20 years of a career in the corporate world, Valerie Patton has retired from her position as chief DEI officer of Greater St. Louis Inc. On Tuesday afternoon, friends, col-
leagues and family members gathered at the St. Louis Marriott downtown to celebrate her four years with GSL and her outstanding career and accomplishments. Patton managed workforce diversity and inclusion for the business community through GSL, a civic advocate
HEALTH
Black Americans aren’t vacating vaccination shots
In a new Pew Research Center survey, 60% of Americans say they won’t get an updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine, but Black Americans are still getting vaccinated.
Page A10
whose mission is to attract more businesses and foster economic growth in the region for all residents and communities. She also led an annual fellowship program and served as a mentor for
See PATTON, A7
Black consumers can wallop Walmart ‘Economically empower ourselves’
By Sylvester Brown, Jr. St. Louis American A large part of the campaign arsenals of President-elect Donald Trump and Republican candidates was an all-out attack on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies. Conservatives successfully argued that DEI policies are discriminatory and, following a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in summer of 2023, pressured corporations to drop them. To date, companies including Ford, Toyota, John Deere, Lowe’s and Walmart have given in to pressure that included threats of boycotts from some right-wing groups. “Multiple companies in the United States have begun to walk back almost a decade of DEI progress, seemingly in a domino effect,” John Bowman, president
See WALMART, A7
SPORTS
East St. Louis, Althoff storm to Illinois football titles
The Metro East area is the home of two new state championship football teams as the East St. Louis Flyers and Alfhoff Crusaders showed up and showed out at Illinois State.
Page B3