Featured News
St. Louis-area girls teams make strong showing at Midwest Showcase
The Midwest Showcase concluded its two-week run last weekend in Columbia as the girls took center stage. Nearly 100 top…
Nominations Now Open!
Photo Albums
Black Rodeo Photo Gallery
The Black Rodeo brought energy, culture and tradition to Chaifetz Arena, drawing families and rodeo fans for a night of competition, entertainment and community celebration. Check the website to see if you made the gallery.
This Week’s Photos: June 18th, 2026
This week’s photo gallery features the grand opening of the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Food, Agriculture, Nutrition Innovation Center, where community leaders gathered to celebrate a new hub focused on youth development, nutrition, agriculture, and opportunity. We also…
Videos
Check This Out: Juneteenth Reads with the St. Louis Public Library
As Juneteenth approaches, it’s a great time to learn more about the holiday and its significance. Jaelyn from the St. Louis Public Library recommends two books that help readers of all ages better understand Juneteenth: “Juneteenth”…
PJ Morton meet & greet
PJ Morton came by Sophie’s on Friday, June 12, for a pop…
2026 Salute to Young Leaders Recap
A look back at the 15th Annual Salute to Young Leaders, celebrating…
2026 Young Leaders – Lessons from the Next Generation of Leaders
In this special Salute to Young Leaders video presented by The St.…
Salute to Young Leaders celebrates young leaders driving change in St. Louis
Raven Whitener, Director of the St. Louis American Foundation, previews the 2026…
Arts & Entertainment
DMX street naming ceremony derails after son calls out family exclusion
A street naming ceremony honoring DMX in Yonkers took a sharp turn when his eldest son, Xavier Simmons, publicly challenged how the rapper’s “original family” was treated during the event. The ceremony, meant to celebrate the…
For us, by us
SLSO and IN UNISON honor the soul of a people
Religion
Ready to Speak
Raised on ghost stories, grief and the unspoken rules about silence that Black girls like…
Grill to Glory sparks summertime of food, fellowship
“Every church, every Saturday, every community.” With that mission statement, the Grill to Glory movement…
I still have joy
Joy is deeper than happiness. Not a smile for the camera. Not a moment of…
‘Faith in the Wild’
Pastor Rashon Jordan remembers exactly how the idea came to him — and how unlikely…
Midwest BankCentre – The Next Move
Your Health Matters
Doctors warn ballot initiative could raise medical costs
Physicians and health care advocates opposed to a ballot measure that would eliminate Missouri’s income tax and could lead to higher sales taxes are warning that the proposal could increase health care costs for Missouri families,…
Sports
Bailey Hensgens wins gold medal at USATF U20 Championships
Incarnate Word Academy girls track and field star Bailey Hensgens continued her magnificent season by winning another championship. Hensgens…
Earl’s 30 in 30
Earl Austin Jr. is celebrating his 30th year as the sports editor at the St. Louis American. To commemorate the occasion, Earl has put together a list of 30 of the top high school games that he’s witnessed during those 30 years.
JPMorganChase – Advancing Black Pathways
Refinancing readiness and navigating the process in today’s market
Depending on where you are in your homeownership journey, refinancing your mortgage can be an effective strategy to help you meet your financial goals. Refinancing may help you save money over time or…
Business
Lawrence named executive director of SWIC’s Granite City campus
Mya Walker Lawrence has been named executive director of Southwestern Illinois College’s Sam Wolf Granite City Campus. Lawrence brings more than 21 years of higher education experience. She previously held leadership positions at Johnson County Community…
Obituaries
Columnists / Opinion
East St. Louis Library and Housing Authority officials face justice
Well, the federal chickens have finally come home to roost for the former director of…
No to the proposed police budget
I heard all of it—every word. I felt every emotion. I stayed until the end,…
A mother’s search for her son — and the truth
I first became acquainted with Christian Ferguson’s story on the June 11 news in 2003.…
Women’s sassitude should match our voting power
As Women’s History Month came to a close, I began pinching myself to see if…
Unlock The Ballot
Our legal and electoral systems are complex—even the most informed among us may not know all the details. In response to readers’ election questions, The St. Louis American has launched the “Unlock the Ballot” initiative to demystify down-ballot propositions and races for judges and school board seats. Now more than ever, St. Louisans need to be informed about lesser-known candidates and issues that may not make headlines but deeply affect our lives and communities.