The history of black hair African people have had very different ideas about their hairdos.
20
Page B5
N
SPORTS PAGE A11 Former Whitfield High standout Kortland Ware embarks on professional golfing career.
Applying reality to black struggle Chokwe Lumumba was the keynote speaker at the 31st Anniversary Celebration of the Organization for Black Struggle held Saturday at the Gateway Classic.
Chokwe Lumumba, who freed the Scott sisters, keynotes OBS event By Rebecca S. Rivas Of The St. Louis American About 20 days ago, the Scott sisters captivated national headlines. Gladys and Jamie Scott of Jackson, Mississippi are two African-American sisters who were incarcerated for 16 years – sentenced with two double-life sentences – for allegedly robbing two men of a few hundred dollars. (Some argue it was only $11.) But on Jan. 7, Chokwe Lumumba, a councilman and attorney from Jackson
Ms. (a little too) Right; Can being the total package ruin your chances?
“I won my office because I was in a ward that was 25,000 people, and all of them were black except for 700.” – Chokwe Lumumba
who led the legal battle for their release, watched them walk out of See LUMUMBA, A6
Photo by Rosalind Guy
Young Leader awardees chosen
SNOWED IN
COMMENTARY
Riding the local control train
Inaugural event set for Feb. 24 By K. Michael Jones Of The St. Louis American
Don’t get distracted by the characters on the caboose
See JAMALA, A7
N PA
COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
LIVING IT PAGE C1
There’s a saying that goes something like “you can accomplish anything if you don’t care who gets the credit.” I like that quote. I believe that quote. I quote that quote. Not this time. There has been outrage at some of the characters who weren’t even on the caboose of the train now trying to get into the conductor’s booth. The train is local control of the St. Louis police and the destination is St. Louis. Characters like Mayor Francis G. Slay and city-wrecking billionJamala aire Rex Sinquefield. Rogers The demand for local control and accountability of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department goes back to 1960s. During the civil rights era, organizations like the Congress of Racial Equality and ACTION sounded the call. The demand was part of the founding platform for the Organization for Black Struggle in 1980. In 1983, the Coalition Against Police Crimes & Repression came together around the reckless and lethal actions of police officer Joseph Ferrario. Ferrario ran through a North Side neighborhood shooting at a 15year-old girl like he was in the Wild West. As a result of Ferrario’s deadly negligence, an innocent, young mother by the name of Marilyn Banks was hit with one of his bullets while sitting on her porch.
First Place #1 Black Weekly in U.S.
Vol. 82 No. 44
CAC Audited FEBRUARY 3 – 9, 2011
INSIDE
10
suggestion on the chief’s list might come as a surprise to hardened crimewatchers: early childhood education. “I keep pointing out that we can’t arrest our way out of the situation. We have to change the hearts and minds of young African Americans,” Isom told The American. “Certainly we can arrest our way down to a level lower than 144 homicides a year, but what is more important is the education of individuals in a
The group of Young Leader awardees includes a corporate attorney for one of St. Louis’ top 10 largest privately held companies. Also, a CFO for the YWCA, a physician at Washington University The School of recognition Medicine, the Director of event will Government be held Relations for from 5:30the world’s 7:30pm, largest private-sector Thursday, coal company February has annu24 and will that al revenue of include nearly $7 bilcomplimen- lion. Also a pastor, a tary beer molecular and biologist for wine, hors Monsanto, d’oeuvres, and an engiand a cash neer at Boeing. bar for What do premium they all have drinks. in common? They are high-performing, young African-American professionals who are also giving back to their community. This diverse group of twenty outstanding African-American professionals, age 40 or under, has been selected as the inaugural class of Young Leader recipients. The awardees will be honored at the St. Louis American Foundation’s Salute to Young Leaders Networking Awards Reception, February 24, in the Starlight Room at the Chase
See CHIEF, A7
See LEADERS, A6
Photo by Wiley Price
John Thomas, a student at St. Mary’s High School, and his brother Robert Edward, a student at Loyola Academy, shoveled snow and sleet from the sidewalks in front of their home in the 3900 block of Cleveland in the city’s Shaw neighborhood on Tuesday, when a winter storm shut down most of the St. Louis metropolitan area.
CHIEF CALLS FOR EARLY EDUCATION ‘I don’t see any other long-term way out of this’ By Chris King Of The St. Louis American St. Louis Police Chief Daniel Isom wants what all police chiefs everywhere want – more funding for more officers on the street. “We need to get more people out on the streets – that’s logical – that gives you a better chance of reducing crime,” Isom told The American. However, he made this elementary
Police Chief Daniel Isom
point after going through a long list of other initiatives that he thinks would reduce violent crime in St. Louis and drive down the city’s homicide rate (144 murders in 2010), which is highest by far among AfricanAmerican males. The most important