Board’s Racial Tension Mirrors City’s
Filed Saturday, October 6, 2007 at 12:00 PM
Friday’s unseasonal upper-80-degree temperatures weren’t the only reason things were hot in the Board of Aldermen meeting yesterday. Racial tensions are high in the City of St. Louis following Mayor Francis Slay’s removal of the city’s first black fire chief and the subsequent promoting of 25 fire fighters to the rank of captain, 88% of whom are white.
Third Ward Alderman Freeman Bosley, Sr. (3rd Ward), whose son was the city’s first black mayor, took the opportunity during the announcements period at the end of the meeting to ask for a moment of quiet reflection and prayer to help heal the racial divide. Ironically, it was at that moment that the divide showed itself clearly to the citizens in the chamber and watching on television.
Alderman Steve Conway, who along with fellow southside aldermen Jennifer Florida and Steve Gregali have been at the center of much of the racial division at the Board, interrupted Bosley. Upset at Conway’s interruption at a call for prayer, Bosley snapped back: “Oh, shut your mouth!”
Board President Lewis Reed asked Conway to back down from his point-of-order objection in the interest of keeping things civil. Conway eventually agreed and moved on.
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