Pure joy with Jon Batiste
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St. Louis American See page C1
The
CAC Audited JUNE 20 – 26, 2024
Serving, empowering and advocating for equity in St. Louis since 1928
Vol. 96 No. 11 COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
Maria ChappelleNadal: ‘My voice is needed in the race’
Freedom Suits Memorial stands tall on Juneteenth By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American The Juneteenth Celebration on Wednesday commemorating the St. Louis Freedom Suits Memorial in the Civil Courts Building courtyard was held on a day that was similar to the one in Galveston, Texas exactly 159 years earlier on June 19, 1865. No doubt it was also probably hot. On that day, 2,000 calvary soldiers rode into Galveston to inform Black Americans that they were free. It was over two months after the Confederacy surrendered unconditionally, ending the Civil War. It was necessary because the state of Texas chose not to share the news with former slaves and keep them in bondage. From 1814-1860, 300 enslaved African Americans filed freedom suits aided by pro bono attorneys under the legal precedent “once free always free,” 22nd Judicial Court Judge David C. Mason said as the sun blazed down on
See JUNETEENTH, A6
By Sylvester Brown Jr. St. Louis American
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
Participants gathered for the Second Annual Juneteenth Celebration at the Freedom Suits Memorial at the Civil Courts Building Wednesday, June 19th, 2024. The keynote speaker was St. Louis City Branch NAACP President Adolphus Pruitt.
To say Maria Chappelle-Nadal is an underdog in the race for the 1st Congressional District would be an understatement. Nadal, a former state representative and senator, is one of four area candidates vying to represent a district that includes St. Louis and most of northern St. Louis County. She admits that her political war chest, compared to her two well-funded opponents Congresswoman Cori Bush and County Prosecutor Wesley Bell, is more like a piggy bank. Yet she may be better positioned Maria than candidate Ron ChappelleHarshaw, also a Nadal Black Democrat, but her chances of beating either Bush or Bell seem…well, unlikely. Still, Chappelle-Nadal feels her voice is needed in the competition. When she launched her campaign last year, she defined Bell as a “Republican plant” and Bush as “someone who has created more controversy than progress” since she was elected as the 1st congressional district congresswoman in 2021. Chappelle-Nadal insists that neither candidate has championed issues she nor her constituents are passionate about.
See NADAL, A7
It’s a family affair at HSSU for Juneteenth Photo courtesy of the AP
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) lifts his son Deuce as he celebrates with his team after the Celtics won the NBA basketball championship with a Game 5 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, Monday, June 17, 2024, in Boston.
“First of all, God is the greatest. Not ‘cause we won but he put me in a position to maximize my God-given abilities, to surround me with these guys, my family,” Taum said. “This is an incredible feeling. It’s been a long journey. We have a resilient group. We’ve been through a lot over the last couple of years, over my seven years (in Boston). “What they gonna say now? What they gonna say now?!” A native St. Louisan, Tatum starred at Chaminade High School before a one-year stint at Duke University with Coach
See TATUM, A6
See FAMILY, A6
Tatum captures elusive NBA title With confetti twirling through the air in celebration of the Boston Celtics winning the NBA title on June 17, 2024, Jayson Tatum lifted his son, Deuce, into the air then directed a pertinent question to his detractors in the media and on social media. “What they gonna say now?” he said to Lisa Salters of ESPN. He repeated that line during a postgame press conference as he beamed with the smile of a champion.
HEALTH
n “The festival’s formula is to provide the perfect blend of family, community, and support for local Black businesses.”
The BLK Family Reunion Festival partnership with Harris-Stowe State University raised $61,000 for the HBCU scholarship fund. The free event, which celebrates – b. Marcell Black culture Williams and community, was held on the university’s campus on Saturday, June 15. The free event featured locally-owned, blackowned vendors, food trucks, a youth zone, and live music all day.
‘What they gonna say now?’ St. Louis American
By Ashley Winters The St. Louis American
SPORTS
Free speech therapy available in JeffVanderLou
STL native Jayson Tatum leads Boston to NBA title
The Hub provides free speech therapy to children ages two to six, along with early intervention from professionals to help achieve the best possible outcomes for the child.
In his seventh season with one of the most storied NBA franchises, Tatum led the Celtics to a 106-88 victory over the Dallas Mavericks to clinch a NBA-record 18th world championship.
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