From the Desk of Irene J. Smith

In Observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service – January 19, 2009


Today, Americans of all backgrounds and ideologies are coming together to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s lifetime of work for economic opportunity, social justice, and racial healing. As St. Louisans mark this solemn occasion on the eve of our Nation’s historic Presidential Inauguration, our feelings of optimism for the future and desires for reconciliation from the past encounter the painful reality of division and betrayal in the present.

One year ago at this observance, the Mayor of this City proved himself incapable of governing in the manner that our community so desperately needs. At a time of skyrocketing unemployment, a growing crisis of housing affordability, State control of our public education system, and heartbreaking challenges with crime, the City of St. Louis cannot afford to allow another Martin Luther King, Jr. observance to pass without addressing the division that exists between residents of this city and the present Mayor’s administration.

Prior to re-districting and the Mayor’s unconscionable decision to politicize operations at the Fire Department while failing to provide accountability for corruption in the Police Department, Francis Slay gave many in this community reason for hope. In 2000, he acknowledged, "Cities throughout the country that enjoy prosperity are those that have been able to deal with racism and work together as a community."[1] By the time that he first ran for Mayor, Slay observed, "This is a racially polarized city,” while recognizing that "[f]or us to be a strong city, we have to be one city, working together."[2] However, in the ensuing eight years since he assumed office in 2001, Francis Slay has lost his way.

Following his decision to undermine, second-guess, and ultimately demote Fire Chief Sherman George, Francis Slay forfeited his ability to speak as the voice of all St. Louisans who care about Public Safety. U.S. Representative William Lacy Clay said of the Mayor’s actions in 2007: "This misguided decision not only punishes a good man with four decades of experience, it deepens racial division."[3] License Collector Michael McMillan acknowledged the economic consequences of the Mayor’s action, contending: "A racially divided city is not appealing to professionals, black or white, who want to raise families."[4] In fact, the United States Census Bureau starkly illustrates this reality in figures that show a decline of 4,000 black residents from the City’s population between the 2000 Census and the 2005-2007 American Community Survey.[5]

We must do more than pay lip service to the goals of economic development for underserved neighborhoods for the City of St. Louis to realize its potential as a City for all. Too often, this Mayor and his Chief of Staff have spoken of race in terms of the race of Mayoral appointees and developments in Wards represented by African American Aldermen. The race of a Mayoral appointee and of an Alderman must never become a means for masking the reality of this Mayor’s failure to support public education, address crime, our unemployment crisis, our affordable housing crisis and to make sure all citizens receive their fair share of City resources and services.

To become A City for All, we must move beyond the interests of our individual Wards and work toward the day that the Board of Aldermen can partner with a Mayor whose interests lie with all residents of St. Louis City, not simply with its most powerful. To become A City for All , we need jobs for all through efforts that invest in our City’s existing base of human capital. To become A City for All, we need a public education system for all backed by the full support of our Mayor. To become A City for All, we need a Mayor who will work to restore oversight, accountability, and the public’s trust in the operations of our Police Department and Information Technology Department. In rising to meet these challenges, race must never cloud our judgment about the path that City Government must take to serve the best interest of citizens, not politicians.

Dr. King wrote in 1967:

…imperative is the development of a strong voice that is heard in the smoke-filled rooms where party debating and bargaining proceed…. the ability to be independent, assertive and respected when the final decisions are made is indispensible for an authentic expression of power. [6]

On this National Day of Service in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., let us come together in a spirit of renewed fellowship and work toward an authentic expression of unity that will transcend the division that holds our City back. While this Mayor continues his talk of race in the absence of his leadership, I will continue to elaborate upon my plans for making St. Louis, A City for All.

[1] Qtd. In Kee, Lorraine. “Protestors Hold Events To ‘Make Racism History.’” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 1, 2000.
[2] Qtd. In Mannies, Jo. “Candidates Promise They'll Make Efforts To Improve Race
Relations In City.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 26, 2001.
[3] Qtd. in Brown, Sylvester Jr. “With fire chief's demotion, racial tension kicks up a notch.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 2, 2007.
[4] Qtd. in ibid.
[5] http://factfinder.census.gov
[6] qtd. from Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? in Dawson, Michael. Behind the Mule: Race and Class in African-American Politics. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1994, p. 161.