COMPLIMENTARY

stlamerican.comVol. 82 No. 44CAC Audited

FEBRUARY 3 – 9, 2011

COMMENTARY

First Place#1 Black Weekly in U.S.

2 0 1 0

NN P A

The history of black hairAfrican people have had very different ideasabout their hairdos.

Page B5

Applying reality to black struggleChokwe Lumumba, who freed theScott sisters, keynotes OBS eventBy Rebecca S. RivasOf The St. Louis American

About 20 days ago, the Scott sisterscaptivated national headlines.

Gladys and Jamie Scott of Jackson,Mississippi are two African-American sis-ters who were incarcerated for 16 years –sentenced with two double-life sentences– for allegedly robbing two men of a fewhundred dollars. (Some argue it was only$11.)

But on Jan. 7, Chokwe Lumumba, acouncilman and attorney from Jackson

who led the legal battle for theirrelease, watched them walk out of

By K. Michael JonesOf The St. Louis American

The group of Young Leaderawardees includes a corporateattorney for one of St. Louis’top 10 largest privately heldcompanies. Also, a CFO for theYWCA, a physician at

WashingtonUniversitySchool ofMedicine, theDirector ofGovernmentRelations forthe world’slargest pri-vate-sectorcoal companythat has annu-al revenue ofnearly $7 bil-lion. Also apastor, amolecularbiologist forMonsanto,and an engi-neer atBoeing.

What dothey all havein common?They arehigh-perform-ing, young

African-American professionalswho are also giving back totheir community.

This diverse group of twentyoutstanding African-Americanprofessionals, age 40 or under,has been selected as the inaugu-ral class of Young Leader recipi-ents. The awardees will be hon-ored at the St. Louis AmericanFoundation’s Salute to YoungLeaders Networking AwardsReception, February 24, in theStarlight Room at the Chase

CHIEF CALLS FOR EARLY EDUCATION

There’s a saying that goes some-thing like “you can accomplish any-thing if you don’t care who gets thecredit.” I like that quote. I believethat quote. I quote that quote.

Not this time.There has been outrage at some of

the characters whoweren’t even on thecaboose of the trainnow trying to get intothe conductor’s booth.The train is local con-trol of the St. Louispolice and the destina-tion is St. Louis.Characters like MayorFrancis G. Slay andcity-wrecking billion-aire Rex Sinquefield.

The demand forlocal control and

accountability of the St. LouisMetropolitan Police Department goesback to 1960s. During the civil rightsera, organizations like the Congressof Racial Equality and ACTIONsounded the call. The demand waspart of the founding platform for theOrganization for Black Struggle in1980.

In 1983, the Coalition AgainstPolice Crimes & Repression cametogether around the reckless andlethal actions of police officer JosephFerrario. Ferrario ran through a NorthSide neighborhood shooting at a 15-year-old girl like he was in the WildWest. As a result of Ferrario’s deadlynegligence, an innocent, young moth-er by the name of Marilyn Banks washit with one of his bullets while sit-ting on her porch.

By Chris KingOf The St. Louis American

St. Louis Police Chief Daniel Isomwants what all police chiefs every-where want – more funding for moreofficers on the street. “We need to getmore people out on the streets – that’slogical – that gives you a better chanceof reducing crime,” Isom told TheAmerican.

However, he made this elementary

point after goingthrough a long list ofother initiatives that hethinks would reduceviolent crime in St.Louis and drive downthe city’s homicide rate(144 murders in 2010),which is highest by faramong African-American males.

The most important

ChokweLumumba was

the keynotespeaker at the

31st AnniversaryCelebration of

the Organizationfor Black

Struggle heldSaturday at the

Gateway Classic.

YoungLeaderawardeeschosenInaugural eventset for Feb. 24

Ridingthe localcontroltrainDon’t get distractedby the characters on the caboose

SNOWED IN

John Thomas, a student at St. Mary’s High School, and his brother Robert Edward, a student at LoyolaAcademy, shoveled snow and sleet from the sidewalks in front of their home in the 3900 block of Clevelandin the city’s Shaw neighborhood on Tuesday, when a winter storm shut down most of the St. Louis metro-politan area.

Photo by Wiley Price

Photo by Rosalind GuySee LUMUMBA, A6

See JAMALA, A7 See CHIEF, A7 See LEADERS, A6

INSIDE

� Therecognitionevent willbe heldfrom 5:30-7:30pm,Thursday,February24 and willincludecomplimen-tary beerand wine, horsd’oeuvres,and a cashbar for premiumdrinks.

SPORTS PAGE A11

LIVING IT PAGE C1

FormerWhitfield HighstandoutKortlandWare embarkson professionalgolfing career.

Ms. (a little too) Right; Canbeing the total package ruinyour chances?

suggestion on the chief’s list mightcome as a surprise to hardened crime-watchers: early childhood education.

“I keep pointing out that we can’tarrest our way out of the situation. Wehave to change the hearts and minds ofyoung African Americans,” Isom toldThe American.

“Certainly we can arrest our waydown to a level lower than 144 homi-cides a year, but what is more impor-tant is the education of individuals in a

‘I don’t see any other long-term way out of this’

PoliceChiefDanielIsom

� “I won my office because Iwas in a ward that was 25,000people, and all of them wereblack except for 700.”

– Chokwe Lumumba

JamalaRogers