One of the perks of being a journalist is that you often get to speak to successful people. From politicians to educators, athletes to coaches, to authors, musicians, and business owners, I always feel it’s time well spent listening and learning from people who’ve figured out their own recipe for being great.
There’s a unique opportunity this Black History Month for the public to hear success stories from prominent St. Louisans who didn’t set out to make history, but somehow did. On Feb. 23, 5 On Your Side will partner with the Missouri History Museum for RACE: Listen. Learn. Live. Celebrating Black History Month.
History is telling stories, and it’s inspiring and useful to hear successful people share their journeys, even if they include adversity and roadblocks. Our successful Black History Month panelists have stories to share about strategizing to reach their goals, how to muster the courage to overcome problems, and how they worked hard to realize their dreams.
Those are the ways you make history.
The panelists for our event include:
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Ella Jones, Mayor of Ferguson
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Jeremy Maclin, 2023 College Football Hall of Fame inductee and Kirkwood High School football coach
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Calvin Riley, founder of Vashon Museum of African American History
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Mary Elizabeth Grimes, Marian Middle School President
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Alvin Reid, St. Louis American Editor
5 On Your Side anchors Kelly Jackson and Brent Solomon will moderate the panel.
RACE: Listen. Learn. Live. Celebrating Black History Month is part of the museum’s “Thursday Nights at the Museum” series and begins at 5:30 p.m. with happy hour in Grand Hall. At 6:30 guests will be ushered to the auditorium for the panel discussion. No registration is required, and the event is free to attend. The discussion will be recorded and available to watch in the days following through 5 On Your Side’s streaming app, 5+, available for download on Roku and Fire TV.
This panel discussion is an offshoot of a series produced by 5 On Your Side since 2020 called RACE: Listen. Learn. Live. The series has been honored with several awards, including a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award, 2022 Gracie Award, and was most recently a finalist for a 2023 duPont-Columbia Award. The entire series can be viewed on 5 On Your Side’s YouTube channel.
