Federal legislation is the legal mandate that ensures that minorities should have the right to have our own legislative districts, from the 14 black majority wards in St. Louis city to the black state House and Senate Districts and the 1st Congressional District.
Because of the outcome of the recent 4th Senatorial race, there has been criticism of black leaders and this paper by some who feel that it is not important for the 4th District to have a black state senator. The EYE stands its ground! There has never been an African-American statewide elected official in Missouri, and only once did either party nominate a black statewide candidate. This city is 53 percent African-American and 43 percent Caucasian. There are 29 votes at the Board of Aldermen, and they are 17 to 12 when the vote is strictly racial. There are 11 citywide elected positions in the city and only two are held by blacks. Until the African-American community is able to gain an equitable share of higher offices, we should at least be able to represent ourselves in majority-black districts. Jeff Smith is on the ball and will surely work hard to represent all of his constituents, but we wish he had sought another office.