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St. Louis American See page B1
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Serving, empowering and advocating for equity in St. Louis since 1928
CAC Audited JANUARY 2 – 8, 2025
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Remembering the kindness of Jimmy Carter
By Ellen Sweets St. Louis American
Hannah Sweets, daughter of contributing editor Ellen Sweets, in the arms of Jimmy Carter during a visit to St. Louis as he campaigned for the presidency in 1975.
Years ago, the father of my friend, Christy Pirrung, had a peanut farm in Plains, Georgia. A friend of his owned the adjacent property. He too grew peanuts. Not only that, he, the neighbor, decided to run for president. So, when the campaign trail brought the other peanut farmer to St. Louis in 1976, Christy, who knew I was a rabid Jimmy Carter fan, called to say her folks were having a fundraiser for him and that I should come. After making several SOS calls, I couldn’t find anyone to babysit for my toddler. I called back to decline. “Oh, just bring her,” Christy said. “Our housekeeper will be happy to entertain her.” Sounded like a plan. And off we went. Hannah was remanded to the care of the housekeeper. As I started down the staircase the entourage arrived. Mr. Carter was whisked up the stairs before I could go down. Suddenly surrounded by the presidential hopeful, Secret Service agents, staff and the host and hostess, I managed to extricate myself only to spy
See CARTER, A6
Photo courtesy of the Sweets Family Collection
Vol. 96 No. 39 COMPLIMENTARY
U. City’s Mary Allen passes at 99
By Diane Willingham For the St. Louis American She was born in Gettysburg, Pa. to the late Adam J. Myers, Sr. and the late Amanda E. Myers. She graduated from Gettysburg High School and later earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Cheyney University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Education degree from The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State). She inspired hundreds of young people throughout her long and distinguished teaching career which began in Princess Anne, Maryland. It was in Maryland that she met fellow educator Dr. Marcus Allen. They were married in 1953. In 1958, when her husband was hired as Mary Myers professor of French Allen at Morgan State University, they moved to Baltimore where she was a classroom teacher, reading specialist, and an active member of the Faculty Wives at Morgan. In 1966, when her husband was recruited to establish the French section of the Department of Modern Languages at the newly formed University of Missouri-St. Louis, they moved to University City where she continued her teaching career at Barbara C. Jordan
See ALLEN, A6
Photo by Taylor Marrie / St. Louis American
Celebrating Kwanzaa
Spirit of Angela West African Dance and Drum perform at the Kwanzaa Celebration held at the St. Louis Art Museum Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024.
personal, family and professional lives worldwide. Although the impact on first responders (stress, fear, PTSD, depression, etc.) were well documented, conditions suffered by responders - funeral directors - didn’t receive proportionate coverage. Under guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reduce the risk of transmissions from the deceased,
See BALL, A6
See NAACP, A6
Funeral directors gather for evening of honors, fun It was an evening of elegance, congregation, glitzy gowns, top tier tuxedos, fine dining, with a pulsating mix of live jazz, R&B vibes and a crowded dance floor. It was the 2024 Undertakers Ball at the Jade Event Center in North County this month and, by all accounts, the second annual event was a resounding success.
According to organizer, Rev. Dr. NL Grice, Jade Event Center owner, the genesis for the first event in 2023, was, in part, an effort to recognize funeral directors who were tirelessly working their way through one of the most tumultuous times in modern history. Though initially discovered in Wuhan, China, in late 2019 COVID-19 entered the U.S. biosphere in January 2020. By the end of 2022 the pandemic had killed more than 1 million people in the United States alone. It disrupted
HEALTH
Childhood literacy connects dots in pediatric care
Research shows that it is helpful for pediatricians to offer literacy promotion as a “practical and evidence-based primary prevention strategy in primary care practice to support brain and child development.”
Page A8
By Andrea Y. Henderson St. Louis Public Radio When Precious Barry first stepped onto the Washington University campus, she instantly felt that she did not belong. “I’ve never been exposed to [a school like this] coming from a predominantly Black school district,” she said. “So, I constantly kept asking myself, ‘What can I do to bring myself into this environment feeling more comfortable and safe?’” She soon became Precious aware of African Barry American student programs on campus and noticed that a student branch of the NAACP was not available to join. Over the past year, she partnered with the St. Louis County chapter to help charter one at the university, and this January people can join a student NAACP chapter at
Havin’ a Ball
By Sylvester Brown, Jr. The St. Louis American
Wash U charters first NAACP chapter
SPORTS
Incarnate Word wins topflight Viz Tornament
As always, the featured team at the Viz Tournament is the nationally ranked Incarnate Word Academy Red Knights, which rolled to another championship last week.
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