A store that pampers your pet Kennedy's Pet Store opens in Old North's New Crown Square Business District
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CAC Audited SEPTEMBER 5 – 11, 2013
Vol. 84 No. 22 COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
Jefferson Bank protests reenacted Activists commemorate 50th anniversary of Civil Rights events By Bridjes O’Neil Of The St. Louis American Millions around the country recently commemorated the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. In St. Louis last week, activists marked the 50th anniversary of a historic local civil rights milestone, the Jefferson Bank & Trust
Jefferson Bank protest veteran Norman Seay passed the torch to Montague Simmons at the Missouri History Museum on Friday as activist Jamala Rogers looked on.
protests. Civil rights activists Norman R. Seay, his brother Kenneth Webb and Percy Green II were key organizers of the protests. In August 1963, they and hundreds of others in the African-American community challenged the bank’s racially discriminatory
See PROTESTS, A7
City told to release ‘gladiator’ records Class-action suit proceeds after jail guards plead guilty to forced fighting By Rebecca S. Rivas Of The St. Louis American The two St. Louis City Workhouse jail guards accused of forcing inmates to fight each other pled guilty to charges of burglary, assault and “We are looking obstruction of governfor reform in the ment operations on justice system and Aug. 15 in the 22nd Circuit Court. workhouse.” The guards, Elvis Howard, 34, and – Ryan Smith Dexter Brinson, 46, received no jail time. Brinson received four years of probation, and Howard received three and a half years of probation. On Tuesday, a federal judge ordered the workhouse to release all information relating to a federal class-action lawsuit filed by former and current inmates in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. The judge gave a Sept. 27 deadline for disclosing the information.
Photo by Maurice Meredith
S.A.F.E. kids Children enrolled in the Better Family Life Urban Rythms S.A.F.E. Passage Summer Camp perform for guests during the foundation’s recent grand opening.
See RECORDS, A7
Eight ‘excellent’ educators Photo by Wiley Price
Study connects mortality to poverty First brief published by WUSTL/SLU team looking at health of blacks in STL By Robert Joiner Of The Beacon More than 1,000 lucky newborns in Oklahoma are part of an experiment, coordinated by Washington University, to determine whether a college savings account at birth can change the life of a kid growing up in moderate-to-low income families. It’s too soon to know the answer, but the program is being billed as a promising intervention in the first of several briefs being developed by a team of Washington University and Saint Louis University profes-
“There are no pills or medical treatment for poverty and lack of education, but there are policies and programs that can improve both.” – Jason Q. Purnell
sors, all African Americans. They are releasing briefs on various topics over several months in an effort to convince
area leaders that the region can save lives and money by investing more in those at the bottom of the economic ladder. The first brief, released last week, focuses on education and economic opportunities for African Americans in St. Louis and St. Louis County. The brief’s author, Jason Q. Purnell of Washington University, notes that society usually thinks about death in the context of an illness, such as cancer or a heart attack. He says a formula based on research into social factors and mortality allowed the team to
See STUDY, A6
2013 Salute is Friday, Sept. 13 at the America’s Center By Andrew Fowler For The St. Louis American Eight educators in the St. Louis area will receive recognition for excellence at the St. Louis American Foundation’s 2013 Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Gala on IN Friday, September 13 at the EDUCATION America’s Center Ballroom, along 2013 with 2013 Lifetime Achiever Lynn Beckwith Jr., 2013 Stellar Performer Art McCoy and others. More complete profiles will appear in next week’s Salute special section. An environment for education Clara Collins Coleman is the curator of Interpretation at Laumeier Sculpture Park and
See EDUCATORS, A6