Shaping St. Louis: The Untold Narratives
St. Louis, Missouri, an emblematic American city, is globally known for its famous Gateway Arch. But in terms of its history, among the riches are untold stories of the African American contributions that undoubtedly shaped St. Louis. The recent radio interview on St. Louis in Tune, featuring authors Calvin Riley and NiNi Harris, reveals the detailed narrative written on their latest book, Black St. Louis.
Authors Calvin Riley and Nini Harris join Arnold Stricker and Mark Langston on Saint Louis in Tune to discuss their book, Black St. Louis. They delve into the rich African American history in St. Louis, covering significant personalities, the formation of vibrant neighborhoods, the educational strides achieved, and key historic events that shaped the current Black experience. Calvin and NiNi's discussion emphasizes the importance of looking at Black history as an integral part of all St. Louis history and how their book brings to light unknown but important historical figures and narratives.
[00:00] Introduction and Hosts' Casual Conversation
[00:11] The Importance of Unknown Figures in St. Louis History
[02:31] Discussion on the Book Black St. Louis
[02:42] Exploring the Life of Jeannette Forchet
[03:29] The Role of African Heritage in St. Louis
[05:25] Introduction to the Authors and Their Collaboration
[06:05] The Importance of Preserving Black Artifacts
[20:08] The Impact of Immigration on Black St. Louisans
[27:41] The Significance of Freedom Suits in St. Louis History
[31:21] Discussing Freedom Suits and Education
[31:29] The Struggle for African American Education
[33:03] The Story of Vashon Family and Their Contribution to Education
[34:06] Discovering Vashon Family Artifacts
[36:07] The Establishment of the George B. Vashon Museum
[37:43] Exploring the Curtis Family and People's Art Center
[41:32] The Impact of Migration on St. Louis Neighborhoods
[50:04] The Significance of the Book Black St. Louis
[51:47] Promoting the Vashon Museum
[52:29] Closing Remarks and Humor
George B. Vashon Museum - https://georgevashonmuseum.org/
NiNi Harris - http://www.niniharris.com/
Future Dates with Calvin and NiNi about Black Saint Louis
- Sunday, Feb. 11 2:00 p.m. (NiNi Harris), Campbell House Museum – in Downtown; 1508 Locust Street
- Tuesday, Feb. 13 11:00 a.m. (Calvin Riley), Missouri History Museum; 5700 Lindell Blvd
- Tuesday, Feb. 13 7:00 p.m. (Calvin Riley), Webster Groves Presbyterian Church; 45 West Lockwood Ave.
- Saturday, Feb. 17 10:00 a.m. (NiNi Harris), Ulysses S. Grant Historic Site White Haven; 7400 Grant Road — in South County
- Wednesday, February 21 6:30 pm (Calvin Riley), Richmond Heights Library; 8001 Dale
- Saturday, March 2 11:00 a.m. (NiNi Harris), Carondelet Branch of the St. Louis Public Library; 6800 Michigan Avenue
- Wednesday, April 10 TBA (Calvin Riley), Maplewood Public Library: 7550 Lohmeyer Ave
This is Season 7! For more episodes, go to stlintune.com
#stlouisblackhistory #blackhistory #stlouishistory #reedypress #niniharris #calvinriley #slps #slpl
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NiNi Harris
Author/Historian
Author/historian NiNi Harris has researched and written 15 books on St. Louis history and architecture. Her education began with her grandmother recalling tales of life in the old immigrant communities as she baked cakes and pies from scratch. Much of Harris’s time is spent digging through crumbling records, documenting the history of this great City. Her works have explored the stories of the waves of immigrants who built St. Louis’s remarkable brick neighborhoods and great Gothic and Romanesque churches. She has written about the profound effect of World War One and World War Two on this river metropolis. Her books recall the role St. Louis played in opening the American West and in the Union victory in the Civil War.
Calvin Riley
Author/Founder and Executive Director of the George B. Vashon Museum
Calvin Riley is an educator, and he and his wife Calra Riley are lifelong collectors of Black memorabilia dating back 250 years. Their 40-year collection was used to open the George B. Vashon Museum of African American History, telling the stories and events of their experience in the United States of how African Americans progressed. The world must not be allowed to forget the injustices done to the Black race.
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