A movement in advanced manufacturing
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St. Louis American See page B1
The
CAC Audited APRIL 22 – 28, 2021
Serving, empowering and advocating equity in St. Louis since 1928
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Tishaura: city’s first Black woman mayor
Vol. 93 No. 4 COMPLIMENTARY
Chauvin verdict, small step in fight for justice Activists gathered at City Hall on Tuesday evening
By Dana Rieck Of The St. Louis American
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
Tishaura Jones taking the oath of office as St. Louis’ 47th mayor and becoming the first Black woman to serve as the city’s chief executive officer. Judge Angela Turner Quigless of the Missouri Court of Appeals administered the oath.
After making history, new mayor pledged to work for every St. Louisan By Dana Rieck Of The St. Louis American Tishaura Jones stood at a podium in the middle of City Hall’s rotunda, surrounded by her family and invited guests as she took the oath of office — becoming St. Louis’ first Black woman mayor. “I am standing on stone that was not meant for me, I am speaking in a rotunda that never envisioned my ascent to mayor, I am going to walk into an office that my ancestors could have never imagined me working in — but I’m here,” Jones said. In her speech, she paid homage to her family, the schools she attended and her Delta Sigma Theta Sorority — whose members lined the staircase dressed in red.
“But most importantly I’m here today because of you, because you voted, because you got involved, because you chose to be inspired by a movement of people and vision for St. Louis to move our city and region forward,” Jones said. Jones pledged to be a mayor for every city resident, whether they voted for her or not. “Most St. Louisans share some core desires, and as a single mom, I know these desires well myself,” she said. “I want to raise my son in a safe neighborhood. I want him to receive a quality education. I want him to be able to envision himself safely raising a family in St. Louis one day.” Jones said she was resolved to make change.
n “We will move forward when we recognize our shared humanity, our shared core desires, and our common resolve to make our city a better, safer and healthier place to live.” – Mayor Tishaura Jones
See TISHAURA, A6
Upbeat during the downtimes of COVID By Sylvester Brown Jr. Of The St. Louis American
See CATHY’S, A7
See VERDICT, A7
We continue to serve in honor of Halbert Sullivan By Wesley Bell For The St. Louis American
Cathy & Jerome Jenkins of Cathy’s Kitchen
“We were prepared for COVID.” Kathy and Jerome Jenkins, owners of Cathy’s Kitchen in Ferguson, answered resolutely when asked how COVID-19 had impacted their business. Their answer was surprising, considering the disproportionate damage the pandemic has wrought on Black businesses, in particular. But the Jenkinses say their years as struggling entrepreneurs and the protests following police killings
There’s still more work to be done. That was the main sentiment St. Louis leaders expressed after a Minneapolis jury found Derek Chauvin guilty on all three counts in the killing of George Perry Floyd Jr. on May 25. The verdict was read just after 4 p.m. Tuesday after the three-week trial. Sequestered jurors began deliberating Monday morning after closing arguments Friday. Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree uninPhoto by Jennifer Sarti tentional murder, Missouri State third-degree murder Rep. Rasheen and manslaughter. Aldridge spoke He was taken into in front of City custody directly Hall after the after the reading of guilty verdict was the verdict and will announced in the be sentenced on murder trial of June 15. Derek Chauvin. Chauvin faces a sentence of up to 40 years in prison, but because he has no previous criminal history, the sentencing recommendation is 12.5 years. About 50 people gathered in the intersection of Market Street and Tucker Boulevard in downtown St. Louis after the verdict was read — singing protest chants and talking
Photo by Jennifer Sarti / St. Louis American
Cathy Jenkins (center) is the owner of Cathy’s Kitchen in Ferguson. Shown here with her daughters and employees, Micah (left) and Cathy L. (right) on Tuesday, Apr. 20, 2021.
Those of us working to keep people out of the criminal justice system lost a dedicated and powerful ally when Halbert Sullivan died on April 15th at 69 years of age. In his absence, we must all work that much harder to provide opportunities for struggling individuals to turn their lives around and stay out of jail or prison. Mr. Sullivan was the founder and CEO of Fathers & Families Support Center, which promotes parents’ involvement in their children’s lives through job training, group therapy, community service and parenting workshops. Many of its clients have had experiences with the criminal justice system, including for criminal non-support of their children. In 2017, the St. Louis American reported that since its inception in 1997, the center had served more than 14,000 fathers and their families, transitioning nonparSee SULLIVAN, A6