For January’s Unseen STL History talks, we were incredibly fortunate to hear from Peter Downs and Nathan Jackson, both of whom told truly unseen stories about St. Louis history. You can listen to the recording above and download their slides below.
Peter started us off by providing a captivating look into slavery and the events leading up to the Civil War. He recounted the story of a lynching in downtown St. Louis that resonated with the abolitionist movement across the nation. He also detailed the legal challenges to slavery that set the stage for Dred and Harriet Scott's landmark freedom suits. These events anticipated the language of the US Supreme Court decision in the Scott case, which infamously upheld slavery and ignited the Civil War. Peter focused much of his talk on John and Mary Meachum, a Black couple deeply involved in these historical events and the post-war efforts to free enslaved people and desegregate St. Louis, a story largely omitted from mainstream historical narratives.
Meanwhile, Nathan Jackson took us on a journey through the history of Kosciusko, one of the earliest neighborhoods in St. Louis, now largely forgotten and transformed into an industrial zone. He painted a vivid picture of what was once a bustling area, complete with shopping districts, homes, churches, breweries, and businesses. As he described the vibrant life of the Kosciusko neighborhood, it became clear what a significant loss its demolition represents. Nathan illustrated how the neighborhood's destruction in the name of "progress" led to the loss of a vital part of St. Louis.
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Unseen STL History Talks - The Crossroads of History