September 29th, 2016 Edition

Black arts community expresses outrage with Kelley Walker

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CAC Audited SEPT. 29 – OCT. 5, 2016

Vol. 88 No. 25 COMPLIMENTARY

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Robin Smith eyes statewide office

Robin Smith, who is running for secretary of state on the November 8 ballot, met privately with Hillary Clinton in Kansas City on September 8. “She has been meeting with candidates she believes will win who are strong advocates for women and minorities,” Smith said.

Former news anchor stands for secretary of state on Nov. 8 ballot By Chris King Of The St. Louis American

Photo courtesy of Robin Smith

Robin Smith said she is running for Missouri secretary of state, the state’s highest election authority, because “the right to vote is more in jeopardy now than ever.” She pointed to Amendment 6, which will be on the November 8 ballot along with Smith. If the measure is passed

and survives the inevitable legal challenge, it would impose a photo ID requirement to vote in future elections in the state. “Amendment 6 would remove 220,000 voters from the right to go to the polls,” Smith said – “mostly the disabled, minorities, veterans, the elderly, college students and those who are financially challenged and do not own a car.”

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From L.A. to City Academy Ferguson made Milton Mitchell want to come home to work with children here By Chris King Of The St. Louis American

Photo by Wiley Price

City Academy Principal Milton Mitchell spoke with students Anderson Grove, 5, and Dalynn Douglass, 6, in the school’s library on Tuesday, September 27.

Black clergy take stand on police killings ‘This is a direct and a violent assault on our community’

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Eight excellent awardees honored at Salute Kimberly Berry, Sarah Briscoe, Cori Cloyd, Kathleen Foster, Stacy Gee Hollins, Kacy Seals, Gladys Smith, Cynthia Warren

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American Black St. Louis clergy members and some civil-rights advocates made a pledge to work together to “stop the systematic killing of black lives” at the hands of law enforcement n “Faith officers at press conference held at community St. Luke Memorial Baptist Church leaders must on Monday, September 26. stand with “The unfortunate increase of use of deadly force against blacks all victims of presents a startling contrast to the violence.” successful achievements in the Civil Rights Movement,” said – Rev. Jimmy Rev. Jimmy L. Brown, president Brown of the Missionary Baptist State Convention of Missouri, and host of the press conference. “We’ve determined that this is a direct and a violent assault on our community.” The group included black clergy from the Baptist

It was the unrest in Ferguson that made Milton Mitchell want to leave the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Los Angeles County and come back home. “After the Mike Brown situation, my heart went out to this community,” Mitchell said. “I didn’t realize how much I love St. Louis until I saw it hurting.” Mitchell, 37, landed a major position in St. Louis city as principal of City Academy, an independent elementary school co-founded in 1999 by Don Danforth III and Duncan Marshall at Mathews-Dickey Boy’s & Girl’s Club in North St. Louis (later moving across Penrose Street to its own pristine facility). But his home and family are much closer to the unrest. His maternal grandparents, Jerlene Wilkes and Desoto Wilkes, live in Ferguson, which made the situation “super personal.” His parents, the Rev.

American staff

Photo by Wiley Price

Rev. Charles Brown, president of the St. Louis Metropolitan Clergy Coalition, addressed media about police killings at St. Luke Memorial Baptist Church, 3623 Finney Ave., on Monday, September 26.

The 2016 Salute to Excellence awardees include teachers of kindergarten and middle school English, a mental health therapist, principals of elementary and 29th high schools, a dean of students at a charter school, and a professor and site coordinator at universities. They will be honored on Saturday, October 1 at the St. Louis American Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Education. After 15 years teaching kindergarten at See SALUTE, A6