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New Ferguson Police Chief Delrish Moss connected with an 8-year-old boy after he was sworn in on May 9 at the Ferguson Community Center.
Vol. 88 No. 6
Ferguson swears in new police chief Delrish Moss: ‘I’ve been training for Ferguson my entire life’ By Mariah Stewart Of The St. Louis American Dozens of residents and law-enforcement officers gathered Monday, May 9 at the Ferguson Community Center to see Delrish Moss get sworn into his new role as Ferguson Police chief. “The new position is going to offer some
challenges,” said Moss, who previously served as a major in the Miami Police Department in Miami, Florida. He will lead a small police department that is currently under scrutiny by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), which just entered into
See CHIEF, A6
Photo by Lawrence Bryant
A mother’s love in Lezley’s words McSpadden releases book, will discuss Tuesday at Christ Church Cathedral By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American
Photo by Lawrernce Bryant
Making friends with a llama Youth had a chance to pet llamas at Annie Malone Children and Family Service Center’s Ice Cream Social at its Family Crisis Center, 5355 Page Blvd., on Saturday, May 7. The 2016 Annie Malone May Day Parade will be held on Sunday, May 15. The procession will gather at 20th and Market streets at 1 p.m., and proceed eastward on Market Street to downtown, where it will culminate in an outdoor festival. For more information, visit www.anniemalone.com.
On August 9, 2014 Lezley McSpadden lived every mother’s worst nightmare with the world watching. Her oldest son, Michael Brown Jr., was killed by then-Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson. She was forced to deal very publicly with the worst shock, trauma and grief. Then her experience was magnified as her son’s death became the tipping point for tensions between law enforcement and the African-American Lezley community. McSpadden Through her new book “Tell the Truth & Shame The Devil: The Life, Legacy and Love of My Son” (Simon & Schuster), written with Lyah Beth LeFlore, McSpadden gives insight on her personal suffering and the ongoing aftershock that came to be known as “Ferguson.” The book was released on Tuesday, May 10. See MOTHER, A7
Soyinka gives coded rebuke to Trumpism
Civic Progress responds to Ferguson
Nigerian Nobel Laureate delivers Westminster College commencement address By Chris King Of The St. Louis American FULTON, MO. – The graduating Class of 2016 at Westminster College was treated to a commencement address by Wole Soyinka, the 1986 Nobel Laureate in Literature, international freedom fighter and arguably the most important historic figure to speak on its campus since Winston Churchill gave his “Iron Curtain” speech there in 1946. Soyinka spoke at the small, independent liberal arts college in “serene” (his words) Fulton, Missouri, on Saturday, May 7 at the invitation of college President Benjamin Ola. Akande, his countryman from Nigeria, West Africa and – much more intimately – his fellow Yoruba. Soyinka told The American that he accepted the invitation, even with his crowded schedule as an
n Wole Soyinka said of Trump that “it’s very revealing that someone who is, basically, a clown” could seriously contend for the U.S. presidency.
81-year-old intellectual nomad, out of “tribal chauvinism” – a jesting choice of words, given that he told the young Westminster graduates that they must reject chauvinism and all attempts to divide people and oppress any category of a divided people. Without ever mentioning the name of Donald See SOYINKA, A6
Photo by Rebecca Barr / Westminster College
n The closest Soyinka came to pinning this syndrome on Trump was when he derided “glib demonizations,” perhaps the most succinct summary of Trump’s rhetoric.
Top area execs donate $600K to agencies serving north STL city and county By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American Civic Progress donated $614,000 to programs working mainly in north St. Louis city and county to improve lives, the organization’s leaders announced at a press conference held on Monday, May 9 at the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis’ North County office. “These organizations typify the commitment and vision our community needs to advance See FERGUSON, A7