From dream to commitment @stlouisamerican
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‘Get Your Knee Off Our Neck’ march in D.C.
See page A12
St. LouiS AmericAn The
Serving, empowering and advocating equity in St. Louis since 1928
CAC Audited SEPTEMBER 3 – 9, 2020
Vol. 92 No. 23 COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
Officer Bohannon dies from injuries
november 29, 1976 – AuguSt 28, 2020
Chadwick Boseman passes at 43 Actor, director and ‘Black Panther’ star By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American
Photo by Wiley Price
Words Chadwick Boseman uttered as he introduced Black Panther to film audiences in “Captain America: Civil War” must now serve as a comfort to the legions of fans currently attempting to process his untimely passing. “In my culture, death is not the end,” T’Challa told Black Widow (portrayed by Scarlett Johansson) as he grappled with a sudden and painful loss that shaped his destiny within the Marvel Universe. “It’s more of a stepping-off point.” That scene became a case of life imitating art as Black culture Chadwick was dealt the heavy, blindsiding Boseman blow after Boseman succumbed to colon cancer on Friday, August 28. He was 43. Boseman bravely – and secretly – battled with the disease for four years. Ironically, he was fighting for his life as he stepped into the role of a hero with superhuman strength and invulnerability that made him a household name. The character was given its own film in 2018, and it became an instant global phenomenon and a cinematic expression of Black excellence. “Black Panther” was us as we saw ourselves – led by a superhero with grace, humility and a moral authori-
St. Louis Detective Tracy Cole, a 14-year veteran with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, visited the memorial for fallen St. Louis Police Officer Tamarris L. Bohannon at the St. Louis Police Officers Association in South St. Louis on Wednesday, September 2.
Thomas Kinworthy accused of shooting two Black cops, killing one By Chris King Of The St. Louis American St. Louis Police Officer Tamarris L. Bohannon died on Sunday, August 30 after being shot by a gunman barricaded in a home he had invaded near Tower Grove Park. Bohannon was a 29-year-old Black man with more than three and a half years of service with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
On Tuesday, September 1, St. Louis Circuit attorney Kimberly Gardner charged Thomas Kinworthy with Murder 1st Degree, Assault 1st Degree of a Law Enforcement Officer, Burglary 1st Degree, three counts of Armed Criminal Action, Resisting/Interfering with Arrest, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. Kinworthy remains in custody with no bond allowed. Bohannon was one of two Black St. Louis police officers whom Gardner alleges was
shot by Kinworthy on Saturday, August 29. The accused, a 43-year-old white man, reportedly was barricaded in a house on Hartford Street when he fired on the officers. He allegedly fired on a civilian before invading the home and allegedly firing on Bohannon and the other officer, Officer Arlando Bailey, who was shot in the leg and released from SLU Hospital after being
See BOHANNON, A7
Transitioning in the time of COVID
See BOSEMAN, A6
Finalists for Missouri Teacher of the Year Darrion Cockrell and Clarence Hines are two of seven candidates By Chris King Of The St. Louis American
Musician Baba Mike Nelson battles to help his mother join the ancestors properly By Sylvester Brown Jr. Of The St. Louis American To “transition,” in western society, means someone has died and moved on to the great beyond. The African tradition of “transitioning,” however, is a lengthier process. Since death is perceived as the beginning of a person’s deeper relationship with creation, much attention is given to complementing life before a person dies. This was a challenge for local musician, artist, and educator Mike Nelson, affectionally known as “Baba Mike.” Nelson’s mother, Pauline, 91, suffers from late-stage Alzheimer’s and other life-threatening maladies. Pauline was an accomplished artist and photographer. Nelson’s father, Edward, who passed in 2010, was an environmental engineer. His parents introduced him to
See NELSON, A7
Clarence E. Hines
Photo courtesy of Baba Mike Nelson
“My mom gave me the gift of life,” Baba Mike Nelson said of his mother, Pauline. “She brought me into this world. I’m not going to miss the opportunity to return that favor.”
Darrion Cockrell
Clarence E. Hines and Darrion Cockrell both teach under extraordinarily challenging circumstances. Hines teaches criminal justice to almost entirely Black youth in the shadow of the police accountability protests sparked in Ferguson in 2014. Cockrell teaches physical education, the most physically present of school subjects, during a pandemic that is keeping most students out of school buildings. Both teach as well as anyone in Missouri teaches, according to their peers. These two Black men in the St. Louis region are among only seven statewide finalists for 2021 Missouri Teacher of the Year. When Clarence E. Hines arrived at North Technical High School in the Special School District to teach criminal justice, he was a 21-year veteran
See FINALISTS, A6