By Kenya VaughnOf The St. Louis American

“The woods arelovely dark anddeep, but we havepromises to keepand miles to gobefore we sleep.”

Just before civilrights legendFrankie MuseFreeman exited thepodium on July 28as the 96th recipientof the NAACPSpingarn Award, sheadapted the wordsof Robert Frost’spoem “Stopping byWoods on a SnowyEvening” to remindguests at theNAACP’s 102nd

Annual Convention that the organization hasmuch work left to do.

As she donned the Spingarn Medal, whichhas since 1914 symbolized the outstandingnoble achievement of an African American,it was a fitting tribute to a woman who hascommitted her long life to freedom-fighting,including more than 60 years of work as acivil rights attorney.

Frankie MuseFreeman becamethe 96th recipientof the NAACPSpingarn Award

COMPLIMENTARY

stlamerican.comVol. 83 No. 20CAC Audited

AUGUST 18 – 24, 2011

Photo by CG Taylor

St. Louis Community Credit opens Wellston branchBanks partner with Regional Unbanked Task Force at Missouri Black Expo

Page B1

FreemangivenhighestNAACPaward

See SALUTE, A7

By Rebecca S. RivasOf The St. Louis American

Valerie Newton-Pennington and RaynaBlackshear have more in common thanbeing two excellent educators. They both

fell into education unex-pectedly.

On September 16,Pennington will receivethe 2011 PNC EarlyChildhood EducationAward at the St. LouisAmerican Foundation’s2011 Salute to Excellence

in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala.Blackshear will receive the SEMOCounselor of the Year award. The dinnerand gala will be held at the America’sCenter.

Help somebody

Valerie Newton-Pennington neverplanned to become a teacher. In college,she started on the career track to become anurse.

“I was going through my nursing intern-ship, and I kept wondering if I was cut outfor this job,” she said. “I always wanted to

See FREEMAN, A6

By Rebecca S. RivasOf The St. Louis American

Harris-Stowe State University cele-brated the opening of its second resi-dence hall and new student diningfacility on Friday, August 12. The uni-versity named the recently completed65,000-square-foot, four-story structurein honor of attorney Freeman R. BosleyJr., the first African-American mayor ofthe City of St. Louis and long-timeadvocate of the university and its mis-sion.

BOSLEY RECOGNIZED BY HARRIS-STOWE

See BOSLEY, A7

Frankie MuseFreeman receivesSpingarn Medal

Residence and dining hall named for Mayor Freeman R. Bosley Jr.

Photo by Wiley Price

Salutehonorstwocalledto helpValeriePennington andRayna Blackshear

Michael Parson and his daughter, Miraj, age 6, get a robotics demonstration fromHarris-Stowe freshman and engineering student Charles Kirksey III during the recentScience and Math Academy Fair at the university.

Fun with math and science

Harris-Stowe StateUniversity opened thenew Freeman R.Bosley Jr. ResidencaeHall last Friday with ahost of dignitaries andsupporters, includingHSSU President HenryGivens Jr., board member LutherRollins, Belma Givens,Board Chair ThelmaCook, Sydney Bosley,Freeman Bosley Jr.,U.S. Rep. Wm. LacyClay, St. Louis LicenseCollector MichaelMcMillan, Lt. Gov.Peter Kinder and stateRep. Tishaura Jones.

Photo by Wiley Price

INEDUCATION

2011

“This opening truly represents thefinal phase in the transformation of ouruniversity,” said Dr. Henry Givens Jr.,president of Harris-Stowe University.“We could not have achieved this mis-sion and vision without the unwaveringsupport of attorney Freeman R. BosleyJr. I am privileged to be dedicating thisfacility in his name.”

During his tenure as the mayor ofthe City of St. Louis, Bosley played acritical role in the university’s acquisi-

“It’s what you call a dream come true.” – Freeman R. Bosley Jr.