Mourning comedy’s first black king
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2016 Gold Cup Newspaper Missouri Press Association
St. LouiS AmericAn The
CAC Audited AUGUST 24 – 30, 2017
Vol. 89 No. 23
stlamerican.com
COMPLIMENTARY
october 12, 1932 – AuguSt 19, 2017
Dick Gregory passes at 84 Iconic comedian, activist and author from St. Louis ‘A life well lived’ By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American When speaking about his father on behalf of the family, Dick Gregory’s son Yohance Maqubela almost didn’t know where to begin. “Because the work that he has done is so dynamic, trying to give a sound-byte about him is one of the most difficult things on the planet to do,” Maqubela said.
The comedy legend, activist, health and nutrition advocate, and best-selling author passed away on Saturday, August 19 at the age of 84.
The comedy legend, activist, health and nutrition advocate, and best-selling author passed away on Saturday, August 19 at the age of 84. “He taught us how to laugh. He taught us how to fight. He taught us how to live,” the Rev. Jesse Jackson said via Twitter. “Dick Gregory was committed to justice. I miss him already.” Though the St. Louis native became a pioneer of humor by paving the way for black performers in mainstream comedy, Maqubela never even mentioned that part of Gregory’s life
See GREGORY, A7
‘Eclipsing Homelessness’ at Lucas Park Larry Rice: ‘The homeless are often forgotten, particularly on a great day like this’ By Sophie Hurwitz For The St. Louis American
Photo by Wiley Price
At 10 a.m. on Monday, August 21, St. Louis was getting ready for the solar eclipse. And in Lucas Park off 14th Street, just north of the St. Louis Public Library’s Central n “The millennials with money Branch, a group of several dozen homeless men and moved in the neighborhood, women were preparing for the and kicked the homeless out eclipse, too. The “Eclipsing and put their dogs in.” Homelessness” event, organized by Rev. Larry – Rev. Larry Rice Rice – whose New Life Evangelistic Center’s homeless shelter was shut down a few months ago due to failure to comply with health regulations – and Bishop Jerome Bracely, of Step Into The Light Ministries, wasn’t See PARK, A9
Blinded by no light Two second-grade students at Jackson Park Elementary School view the solar eclipse through special viewing glasses on Monday afternoon.
Breaking freshmen into high school
Bridging ‘the opportunity
gap’ in SLPS Superintendent Kelvin Adams is 2017 Stellar Performer in Education By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American Poverty critically impacts our region’s students, said St. Louis Public Schools Superintendent Kelvin Adams. “When families are in trauma and in poverty, it severely limits their opportunities,” Adams said. “I don’t think there is an achievement gap. I think there is an opportunity gap. If we could open up the doors so that every single kid would get the same opportunity, I truly believe that every kid
By Jessica Karins For The St. Louis American
would be successful.” Poverty and crime in his students’ neighborhoods are two issues that Adams feels most passionate about. It should not be normal for children to have lost both parents through murder, or who have significant members of their family locked up for the rest of their lives, he said. “It should not be normal for us to have kids abused,” Adams said. “It almost seems that See ADAMS, A6
McCluer introduces Freshman Academy to ease transitions, increase graduation rates
At McCluer High School in the Florissant-Ferguson School District, incoming freshman are having a new kind of high school experience, one that separates them in freshman-only classes and a closed wing of the school for their first year. The program, called the Freshman Academy, is intended to make sure students spend their freshman year learning to adjust to high school, developing good academic habits, and most importantly, passing all their classes. McCluer’s principal, Cedric Gerald, said the district’s data shows that Kelvin Adams
See McCLUER, A6