Note: from a majority white to majority non-white city. 1950 total population 856,796 – white pop (702,348) Non White population (154,448) Outside of the city in the county – total pop 406,349 – White Pop (389,336) and non white pop (17,013)
Black lawmaker is proud of the new diversity in the city. Interestingly, St. Louis was named the murder capitol of the U.S. for its 2014 murder stats.
Associated Press
A black state lawmaker will hold a do-over Friday after a social media backlash over ribbon-cutting photos from the revitalized Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis that included only white people.
Democratic state Rep. Bruce Franks Jr. said Thursday on Facebook Live that the image wasn’t reflective of the city he represents. He proposed a new photo with black leaders, and scheduled a new ribbon cutting for noon Friday.
“We want to show what St. Louis really looks like tomorrow,” he said.
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The photos from the dedication featured more than a dozen people, including Republican Gov. Mike Parson and U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill, a Democrat, and Roy Blunt, a Republican.
The Gateway Arch Park Foundation apologized in a statement Wednesday.
“As organizers of the event, we acknowledge that our ribbon cutting did not reflect the diversity of our community.”
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The city is almost 48 percent black, according to data from the U.S. Census, larger than any other racial group.
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