Back to School! @stlouisamerican
@stlouisamerican
See page B3
St. LouiS AmericAn The
CAC Audited AUGUST 13 – 19, 2020
92 years serving, empowering and advocating equity in St. Louis
Vol. 92 No. 20 COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
Joe Biden picks Kamala Harris for VP
‘The governor attacks democracy itself,’ says House Minority Floor Leader Crystal Quade
Joe Biden celebrates with U.S. Senator Kamala Harris after selecting Harris Tuesday, August 11 for his vice-presidential running mate.
By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American
Photo by Wiley Price
Tishaura Jones: ‘As a Black woman, I feel seen’ By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American Joe Biden’s selection of U.S. Senator Kamala Harris for his vice-presidential running mate is “unprecedented and wise,” said Rev. Traci D. Blackmon, an associate general minister for The United Church of Christ. “It is unprecedented because the strongest, most-consistent voting bloc of the Democratic Party – Black women – have finally earned the right of representation on the party ticket,” Blackmon said. “This is novel, not because of a lack of qualified Black woman candi-
Republicans renew attacks on Kimberly Gardner
n “Black women have been the backbone of the Democratic party, and our unwavering support of this party feels valued.” — St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura O. Jones
dates, but rather because of a lack of political courage by Democrats to risk white fragility to embody the racial and gender inclusion the
party espouses.” Following months of speculation and debate over whether Biden should pick a Black woman for vice president, Harris was named Tuesday, August 11 as Biden’s choice. Biden reportedly had called Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), former Ambassador Susan Rice, and three other candidates to inform them on Tuesday morning that they were not his pick. Blackmon’s response mirrored many other Black women leaders from St. Louis.
See HARRIS, A7
Missouri Republicans have a lot of ideas about how to fight crime in the City of St. Louis, even if it means disregarding the overwhelming majority of city residents who voted to re-elect progressive St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner in the August 4 primary. Gardner is the first Black person elected as city prosecutor. Republicans believe they need to put more children in adult prisons. Kimberly Gardner Gov. Mike Parson believes he needs to allow Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt — the man who is suing China for unleashing the novel coronavirus — to prosecute murders and other violent offenses, though Gardner didn’t ask for help. And state Sen. Bob Onder (R-Lake St. Louis) believes that Parson should have the right to remove Gardner from office if he wishes and replace her with the prosecutor of his choice. Not one of these white male Republicans – Parson, Schmitt or Onder – lives in the City of St. Louis or can vote for the city’s prosecutor. Onder unsuccessfully proposed his amendment to Senate Bill 1, which the Senate passed on Friday, August 7. The bill gets rid of the residency requirement for St. Louis police officers and lowers the age for adult certification for armed criminal action to 14, among other things. “The governor may remove any circuit attorney from the office to which the circuit attorney was
See GARDNER, A7
Mike Brown six years later By Sylvester Brown Jr. Of The St. Louis American “Can’t Take it No More.” The words on the back of the young woman’s T-shirt summarized the theme of the day. She had just passed a couple of policemen who were barricading the entrance to Canfield Drive, the street where Michael Brown was shot and killed by a Ferguson policeman six years ago. Walking toward the memorial service for the slain youth in front of Canfield Green Apartments, attendees passed a bronze plaque on the sidewalk: “In Memory of Michael O.D. Brown, May 20, 1996-August 9, 2014.” The woman, who asked that I refer to her as “Ashley,” pointed to the words on the front of her T-shirt: “Stop Murdering us,” it See BROWN, A6
Michael Brown, father of Michael O.D. Brown, prayed at a memorial in his son’s honor in Canfield Green Apartments on August 9, the sixth anniversary of his son’s killing by a Ferguson Police officer.