Historical March 1993 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Gregory Freeman presents his “urban view” three times a week in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
To a certain degree, his view is shaped by his long term residency in our neighborhood. Freeman is a native St. Louisan and grew up on the north side.
He is a graduate of Beaumont High School.
He then attended Washington University.
He first lived in an apartment in Skinker DeBaliviere while a college student. Freeman majored in Spanish, a subject he thoroughly enjoyed.
However, he worked on both his high school and college newspapers.
He was editor of Student Life at Washington University.
He decided that newspaper work was a more viable career optionTor him than teaching Spanish.
An internship at the Washington Star contributed to this decision.
After graduation, Freeman went to work for the St. Louis American.
He moved on to the Oakland Press in Pontiac, Michigan for a short. time.
He returned to the area and worked originally for the Belleville News Democrat.
He joined the Post Dispatch 13 years ago and has functioned in various capacities, including city reporter and political editor.
In 1982, he and his wife Elizabeth moved to an apartment in DeBaliviere Place.
They bought their home on 57xx DeGiverville in 1985 where they live with they live with their son. Mrs. Freeman works in public relations for St. John’s Hospital.
The Freeman fell in love with the Skinker DeBaliviere neighborhood and did not want to live anywhere else.
They like the people and the sense of community that we do not see everywhere these days. Freeman says it is a good neighborhood in which to raise children with good schools. “I love it that we’re so close to Forest Park and the History Museum, Art Museum, and the MUNY and everything there.” Freeman enjoys his current role as a political commentator.
He said that he “simply points things out that people hadn’t thought about before.
They may disagree but at least they think about it.” His hoped-for audience depends on the subject of the column. Sometimes it is white readers, sometimes black readers, sometimes everyone.
He receives lots of letters and phone calls. But, since he does not have a secretary, it’s hard to respond to all the letters.
I asked Mr. Freeman what he thought St. Louis’ greatest problem was. “Racial polarization” was his reply.
He said that it affects everything else.
He can feel it: Its tentacles reach out and touch so many areas.
If we can overcome that, we will go a long way to overcoming other problems.” Freeman said that we have to look at ourselves first.
There may be certain attitudes based on previous relationships with other races. “This is a problem of blacks as well as whites in St. Louis.
We work together, go to school together, but we don’t socialize. It’s an outgrowth from there.” I then asked if he had any advice for young people.
He said that kids ought to be themselves.
There is a lot of pressure on teenagers to conform.
It is better to be yourself.
There is value in independence. “Don’t feel you have to do something when it’s wrong. You think everybody else is doing it. They’re really not.” Freeman’s column appears in the Post on Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday.
Original photograph caption
Gregory Freeman. Photographer not credited.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, March 1993.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1993_03.pdf, printed page(s) 1; PDF page(s) 1.
