Leonard Reed (1907-2004)

Leonard Reed, noted dancer and entertainment businessman, co-created the famous Shim Sham Shimmy tap routine that has been replicated for centuries by tappers the world over. He was also associated with Joe Louis (1914-1981) during the heavyweight boxer’s efforts to break down golf’s color barrier. … Read MoreLeonard Reed (1907-2004)

Lucile Bluford (1911-2003)

Lucile Bluford was a pioneering black journalist who sought to integrate the University of Missouri in 1939, shortly after the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s (NAACP) test case centering on Lloyd Gaines, Gaines v. Canada, stalled when Gaines mysteriously disappeared.  Although Bluford … Read MoreLucile Bluford (1911-2003)

Lincoln University [Missouri] (1866- )

Lincoln University is a public university located in Jefferson City, the capital of Missouri. It is a member of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and was founded in 1866 by members of the 62nd and 65th United States Colored Infantry and as such … Read MoreLincoln University [Missouri] (1866- )

Pruitt-Igoe Housing Project, St. Louis, Missouri (1956–1976)

The Pruitt-Igoe Housing Project was located in the predominantly African American and economically depressed Desoto-Carr neighborhood just north-west of downtown St Louis, Missouri. By 1956, the project totaled 33 high-rise buildings that consisted of the Wendell Oliver Pruitt Homes (1,736 units) and the William L. … Read MorePruitt-Igoe Housing Project, St. Louis, Missouri (1956–1976)