• Before the unveiling program for Donald Suggs Jr. Way began the morning of Sat., October 15, 2022, in the East Village, New York City, friends and family decided to hold up posters of Donald Suggs, Jr. behind the podium (left poster, Donald circa 2010 and right, late 80s), instead of duct taping them to a fence.  Left to right, facing forward:  Fred Brown, unidentified man in sun glasses, Roger Broome and Howard Chaffey.

    Donald Suggs, Jr. was an influential writer and a tireless media activist, who trained “LGBTQ+” and “Black Lives Matter” activists before such terminology was coined.  Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn more about this native St. Louisan. The article originally appeared in Word in Black.

  • Friends point to Donald Suggs Jr. Way under the newly unveiled sign in the East Village in New York City: (l. to r.): Dr. Luis Ramirez, Wes Gibson, Kym Moore, Juan Doubrechat, Nelson Flores and Dr. Audrey Miller, Donald’s St. Louis friend since childhood, on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. Donald’s niece Delali Suggs-Akaffu stands in the blocked off street. Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn about him.

  • Group of friends gather after street sign unveiling

    After the unveiling of the Donald Suggs Jr. Way program concluded on Sat., Oct. 15, 2022, family and friends embraced, chatted and posed with a replica of the street blade.  Left to right:  Dina Suggs and Delali Suggs-Akaffu hold the blade and a poster board of a photo of Donald Suggs, Jr. from the 80s, Dawn Suggs, Nancy Jo Sales, Tony Gerber, Lynn Nottage, Melkamu Gerber and City Council person Carlina Rivera. Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn about him.

  • Neighbors, friends and family gather for the Donald Suggs Jr. Way unveiling in the East Village, New York City, on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022 and Council Person Carlina Rivera begins the proceedings.

  • E. 6th street Donald Suggs Jr. Way

    East Villager and St. Louis native Donald Suggs Jr. was a journalist and media activist, who navigated aesthetics and philosophy inclusively and internationally.  He was a master of the sound bite, witticisms, and wicked reads.  He loved reality TV, 16th century French literature, drag, chocolate eclairs and East. St. Louis freedom fighter and artist Josephine Baker in all her complexity.  Donald was proud of his collection of traditional teddy bears and Black dolls which he hand sewed and distributed to family and friends and his collection of Japanese shoes and photographs.  Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn more.

  • Donald Suggs, Jr. with parents in 1965

    “In 1965, I was offered a scholarship to Saint Louis’ most elite, all-white elementary school (Community School), basically as an experiment with voluntary integration.  My mother was intent that I not arrive looking and feeling less than my rich, white classmates. So she saved money out of her household budget to buy be a British schoolboy uniform from newly [integrated] Saks Fifth Avenue, which was her fantasy of how rich kids dressed.  Of course, that was not how they dressed, and I found myself having to defend this fashion choice – with one of my leaden black dress shoes – my very first day.  Still, I’ve never felt sharper and prouder than I did in that little suit, as you can see in this photo of my mother father, and I, taken in our suburban living room, in front of our new powder-blue velvet drapes.” – Donald Suggs posted on Facebook Feb.19, 2009.  The southwest corner of E. 6th and Ave. B was unveiled as “Donald Suggs Jr. Way” on October 15, 2022.  Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn more about him.

  • Donald Suggs going to a Grace Jones concert

    Donald Suggs, Jr., mid-80s, on his way to a Grace Jones concert. The southwest corner of E. 6th and Ave. B was unveiled as “Donald Suggs Jr. Way” on October 15, 2022.  Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn more about him.

  • Donald at Eastern Bloc

    Donald at Eastern Bloc on 6th street around 2011.  The southwest corner of E. 6th and Ave. B was unveiled as “Donald Suggs Jr. Way” on October 15, 2022.  Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn about him.

  • Makeshift structures in East Village

    Makeshift structures were erected in front of restaurants to provide outdoor dining in the winter around the height of the early coronavirus pandemic.  They are still prominent on Sun., October 16, 2022 on E. 6th Street, co-named Donald Suggs, Jr. Way on October 15, 2022. The southwest corner of E. 6th and Ave. B was unveiled as “Donald Suggs Jr. Way” on October 15, 2022.  Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn about him.  

  • Citibikes for rental in East Village

    Citibikes for rental now dominate a large portion of the southside of 6th Street between A & B in the East Village on Sunday, October 16, 2022. The southwest corner of E. 6th and Ave. B was unveiled as “Donald Suggs Jr. Way” on October 15, 2022.  Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn about him.

  • 526 E. 6th Street

    Donald Suggs lived on 6th Street, between Avenue A and B, for over twenty years before he died in his apartment on Oct. 5, 2012, of heart disease at the age of 51.  The apartment building is shown here painted white with two lanterns lighting the entrance. The graffiti on the right side of the building quotes Shakespeare, “The World Is A Stage,” on Sunday morning, Oct. 16, 2022 in the East Village.  The southwest corner of E. 6th and Ave. B was unveiled as “Donald Suggs Jr. Way” on October 15, 2022.  Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn about him.

  • Council person Carlina Rivera (center) of New York City’s 2nd district says, “I’m proud to be able to celebrate Donald’s life and legacy. He was iconic, just plain and simple,” at the unveiling program for the Donald Suggs Jr. Way, on Sat., Oct. 15, 2022, while Donald’s niece Delali Suggs-Akaffu (left) and sister Dina Suggs (right) hold up posters of Donald behind her.  The southwest corner of E. 6th and Ave. B was unveiled as “Donald Suggs Jr. Way” that day.  Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn about him.

  • Dr. Luis Ramirez, who Donald Suggs, Jr. referred to as his “Gay son,” spoke of the significance of honoring Donald with the street sign Donald Suggs Jr. Way, “Hopefully [we’re] going to be able to remember all the queer people that we can, immortalize the work that a gay Black man [did] in this community.” The southwest corner of E. 6th and Ave. B was unveiled as “Donald Suggs Jr. Way” on October 15, 2022.  Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn about him.

  • Cass McKenna

    Cass McKenna, who referred to Donald as her soulmate said the sun doesn’t shine quite as brightly since Donald died, and Donald made life better for his friends and so many people he cared about. The southwest corner of E. 6th and Ave. B was unveiled as “Donald Suggs Jr. Way” on October 15, 2022.  Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn about him.

  • Dina Suggs speaks about her brother Donald Suggs, Jr.

    Donald Suggs, Jr.’s sister Dina Suggs, a U.S. diplomat, reminisces about her brother’s artistry during the unveiling ceremony on Sat., October 15, 2022.  Gretchen Elkin (right) holds a poster of Donald from the 80s. The southwest corner of E. 6th and Ave. B was unveiled as “Donald Suggs Jr. Way” on October 15, 2022.  Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn about him.

  • Donald Suggs Jr. Street Naming Project Coordinator Gabriella Sonam

    Donald Suggs Jr. Street Naming Project Coordinator Gabriella Sonam thanked the crowd gathered at the unveiling of Donald Suggs Jr. Way on Sat., Oct. 15, 2022 for “permission to change your address.”  “You know, Donald was a wonderful example of how to be a neighbor, how to be a citizen of the block, of the city, of the world,” she said.  The southwest corner of E. 6th and Ave. B was unveiled as “Donald Suggs Jr. Way” on October 15, 2022.  Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn about him.

  • Friends, neighbors and family gather under Donald Suggs Jr. Way after the unveiling of the sign of the same name on Sat., Oct. 15, 2022. (left to right):  Jerome Choice, Cass McKenna, David Crane, Audrey Miller, Dr. Luis Ramirez, Dina Suggs who is holding a poster of Donald with niece Delali Suggs-Akaffu, Dawn Suggs, Nancy Jo Sales, Tony Gerber, Lynn Nottage, Melkamu Gerber, Council Person Carlina Rivera (center) of New York City’s 2nd district.  Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn about him.

  • Friends, neighbors and family gather under Donald Suggs Jr. Way after the unveiling of the sign of the same name on Sat., Oct. 15, 2022.  Standing (left to right): Jerome Choice, David Crane, Cass McKenna, Audrey Miller, Dr. Luis Ramirez, Dina Suggs who is holding a poster of Donald with niece Delali Suggs-Akaffu, Council Person Carlina Rivera of New York City’s 2nd district, Lynn Nottage, Melkamu Gerber. Front row (left to right):  Nelson Flores, Cristina Miranda, Maia Ettinger and Christy Davis.

  • Friends of Donald Suggs, Jr. (1961-2012) mingle after the unveiling of Donald Suggs Jr. Way (left to right):  St. Louis native Dr. Audrey Miller, Nelson Flores, Kym Moore and Dr. Luis Ramirez on Sat., Oct. 15, 2022. The southwest corner of E. 6th and Ave. B was unveiled as “Donald Suggs Jr. Way” on October 15, 2022.  Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn about him.

  • Family and friends of Donald Suggs, Jr. (1961-2012) and his sisters mingle after the unveiling of Donald Suggs Jr. Way (left to right):  Sandi Dubowski, Dawn Suggs, Cass McKenna, Basil Reyes, Delali Suggs-Akaffu and Nudel Storey on Sat., Oct. 15, 2022.  The southwest corner of E. 6th and Ave. B was unveiled as “Donald Suggs Jr. Way” on October 15, 2022.  Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn about him.

  • Council person Carlina Rivera and Dr. Luis Ramirez

    Council Person Carlina Rivera (left) of New York City 2nd district at the unveiling program for Donald Suggs Jr. Way says, “I’m proud to be able to celebrate Donald’s life and legacy. He was iconic, just plain and simple.” She greets Donald’s “gay son” Dr. Luis Ramirez (right) after the ceremony, Sat., Oct. 15, 2022. Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn about him.

  • In front of a verdant community garden in the East Village in New York City, “Donald Suggs Jr. Way” was unveiled in honor of the St. Louis native Donald Suggs, Jr. (1961-2012) on Saturday, October 15, 2022. This photo was taken the following day, Sunday, October 16, 2022. Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn about him.

  • Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, the Donald Suggs Jr. Way street sign beckons East Villagers to a corner of 6th Street and Avenue B, beside the community garden which Donald loved and was so proud to live near — so many of his neighbors continue to nurture it.  the newly installled street co-name also rests above a community board for posting announcements in the neighborhood, like the unveiling of Donald Suggs Jr. Way on Sat., Oct. 15, 2022.  Caddy corner to Donald Suggs Jr. Way is “Avenue for Justice Way” (Avenue B between 6th Street and 7th Street) named for a community justice league founded in the late 1970s to provide job training, tutoring and mentoring as an alternative to jail for teenagers in the neighborhood. 

  • Family of Donald Suggs Jr. gather at dusk under Donald Suggs Jr. Way hours after the southwest corner of E. 6th and Ave. B was unveiled as “Donald Suggs Jr. Way” on October 15, 2022.  Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn about him.

  • Donald Suggs Jr. Way at night.  The southwest corner of E. 6th and Ave. B was unveiled as “Donald Suggs Jr. Way” on October 15, 2022.  Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn about him.

  • This flyer for the unveiling of Donald Suggs Jr. Way in the East Village of New York city was distributed on 6th street, in the neighborhood and to family and friends of Donald’s days ahead of the event on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022.

    Donald Suggs, Jr. an influential writer and a tireless media activist, who trained “LGBTQ+” and “Black Lives Matter” activists before such terminology was coined, was honored by his 6th street neighbors for being a good neighbor in the East Village and an impactful citizen of the world. Read Donald Suggs Jr. Way to learn about him.

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