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Historical Summer 2022 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
In 1879 the St. Louis Republican newspaper included the following editorial: ‘There could be no death in St. Louis that would have given a greater shock to the whole community than that of William J. Lewis.
He was a man esteemed in all circles. Of thorough business habits, enterprising and progressive, he seemed to influence all by whom he was surrounded.
In social life he was genial and unselfish.
He was devoted to everything that meant prosperity, fame and honor.’ When William J. Lewis, President of Lewis Coal Company laid the plans for a private street about 2-blocks long he would have never imagined that he laid the groundwork for the emergence of a community of talented and well-educated African Americans that would display progressive and unselfish commitment to their people.
After 1926 racial deed restrictions and covenants became popular. Lewis Place followed that trend not allowing Blacks to live there. Lewis Place would become known across the United States for the landmark case of Shelley vs. Kraemer that struck down restrictive covenants across America.
In the 1940’s, Attorney Robert Witherspoon and his wife Dr. Fredda Witherspoon fought the restrictive covenant on Lewis Place. Quietly they recruited African Americans who could pass for white to purchase the homes and once the sales were completed, turned the deeds over to the real purchasers.
They successfully bought enough homes to then remove the restrictive covenant from Lewis Place. Many prominent African Americans past and present have come from Lewis Place including; Ruth Porter, the first female President of Harris Stowe Teachers College; Robert and Fredda Witherspoon, Betty Lee, Editor of Proud Magazine, and James Buchanan, founder of the Ethical Society of Police.
This neighborhood of generosity and activism became known by members of the Negro Baseball League as a welcoming community where they could
stay overnight at the homes of residents living there after being rejected at local hotels.
The hospitality of these prominent residents even extended to inviting students to come and live with them while getting an education in St. Louis! Today, Lewis Place is a historic district and is no longer a 2-3 block private street for middle and upper- class African Americans.
It is a more economically diverse community defined by Martin Luther King Drive on the North, Delmar Boulevard on the South, Newstead Avenue on the East, and Walton on the West. Pamela Talley, Executive Director and co-founder of Lewis Place Historical Preservation, describes her work as a convergence of passions for history and for community-building bringing visionaries, historians and residents together. “We started in 1998 issuing a call to action to the neighbors and in 2000 incorporated Lewis Place Historical Preservation. “The strength of the history, admiration for the architecture and legacy of service to community has created a dynamic source of energy resulting in long-term relationships with neighborhoods that are contiguous to Lewis Place. For almost 15 years Fountain Park and Lewis Place have met together on a monthly basis collaborating on projects benefiting youth, the elderly and housing.
They have co-sponsored an annual Juneteenth celebration in their communities and assisted each other during a tornado disaster getting help for their residents to fix their homes. Kaytrude Palmer, a long term resident of Fountain Park said, “Pamela Talley and I have a relationship built around our vested interest in families, children, education, and our neighborhoods.
We also share an interest in the political aspects of our neighborhoods.” The spirit of the early Black residents who shared so much of themselves with their community remains alive and well.
Here is what Pamela said about the challenge of leveraging the history of Lewis Place, the private street with Lewis Place the expanded community of almost 4000 people. “Yes, our work has incorporated the entire Lewis Place neighborhood.
It has given us the opportunity to meet and work with wonderful, caring and committed neighbors.
We have examined the history of several of the blocks. looked at who was there and their unique stories sharing this with the broader community.” When I asked Pamela what hopes she had for Ward 10 she said, “I see this as an opportunity to share and enrich the ward.
I am hopeful.” I expressed to Pamela my hope as a resident of Skinker DeBaliviere that we would work together with Lewis Place towards seizing opportunities that benefit our ward and its people.
I am inspired by the fact that the founders of Lewis Place Historic Preservation included extraordinary regular citizens like Mattie Divine, a nurse known for her compassion, Alvin Willis, a Southwestern Bell employee and Pamela Talley, a community activist informed by history and dedication to community. What we become together depends on us as citizens! Next months article will focus on the Fountain Park neighborhood and I will speak with residents that have been there for over 50 years. See YouTube video: Lewis Place/Living St. Louis
Original photograph caption
Pamela Talley, Executive Director of Lewis Place Historical Preservation.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, Summer 2022.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2022_06.pdf, printed page(s) 1, 4; PDF page(s) 1, 3.
