Black Businesses & Organizations in St. Louis, MO

Black Law Students Association is a student organization at the Saint Louis University located in St. Louis, MO

Black Law Students Association is a student organization at the Washington University located in St. Louis, MO

Mound City Bar Association is the oldest African-American bar association west of the Mississippi River. It was organized as the St. Louis Negro Bar Association on January 7, 1922, at a time when black lawyers were not allowed to join the all-white St. Louis Bar Association. Our objectives are to advance the professional interests of our members; to improve the administration of justice; to uphold the honor of the legal profession; to promote the professional development of our members; and to provide service to the community, including pro-bono representation. Mound City Bar Association is a 501(c)(6) organization comprised of lawyers, judges, paralegals, and law students who advance the legal profession through active community participation, real mentoring, and offering professional development opportunities to our members. We are an affiliate, partner, and active participant of the National Bar Association. Mound City Bar Foundation is our separate 501(c)(3) organization and the charitable arm of Mound City Bar Association. Our Association and Foundation work hand-in-hand to raise funds and award scholarships to law students, among other charitable endeavors. Our past presidents have been integral to the important advances Mound City Bar Association has made over the years. Working tirelessly behind the scenes, we are thankful for the time and resources our past presidents readily lent to Mound City Bar Association, in general, and its members, in particular. For a list of our past presidents click here. The St. Louis legal community is filled with African Americans who have made tremendous contributions to the legal profession and individuals who have historically been avid supporters of African American attorneys. Many of the current pioneers/trailblazers have contributions that have gone unrecognized. As a result, Mound City Bar Association established the Legal Legend award to thank and pay homage to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the St. Louis legal profession and/or have been historical supporters of African American attorneys.

The 100 Black Men of Metropolitan St. Louis is a non-profit 501(c)(3) community based organization, incorporated in Missouri, whose mission is to improve the quality of life in our communities and enhance educational and economic opportunities for all. The membership is comprised of a diverse group of men including business executives, community leaders, entrepreneurs, clergy, and elected officials. The 100 Black Men of Metropolitan St. Louis is an organization that was formed in direct response to the growing number of young people that are either falling through the cracks at school, or are already entangled with the juvenile court system. The goal of the organization is to identify youth who are going to have a turbulent transition to adulthood and offer positive support system to avoid the pitfalls that can derail their lives. The focus is slightly different at each level but the goal remains the same; empower the young person to make positive changes in his/her life. The organization also provides Health Initiatives and Economic Development Workshops for the community at large. Thus, the primary function of The 100 Black Men of Metropolitan St. Louis is to provide opportunities through initiatives, known as our signature “Four For The Future” Programs in the areas of Leadership, Education, Health & Wellness, and Economic Empowerment.

The Organization for Black Struggle (OBS) was founded in 1980. A group of veteran activists, students, union organizers and community members in St. Louis were seeking to address the needs and issues of the Black working-class. There was a vacuum of Black radical leadership that could boldly speak and act, unencumbered by government or corporate structures. In retrospect, this was a challenging period. The FBI’s Counterintelligence Program, known as COINTELPRO, wreaked havoc on the leaders and organizations of the Black Liberation Movement. By 1980 the right was beginning to consolidate its power politically, with a conservative in the White House for the next 12 years. The country was struggling to get out of the economic recession. It was out of this abyss that OBS was born. OBS studied the organizations of the past to glean from the lessons and best practices on which to build a solid foundation. Local groups like the Congress of Afrikan People (CAP), Action Committee to Improve Opportunities for Negroes (A.C.T.I.O.N.), and Black Nationalist Party (BNP) had varied life spans and histories that provided valuable information and prevented OBS from reinventing the wheel. Taking account of lessons from previous generations of the Black Liberation Movement has prevented OBS from repeating costly mistakes. The four foundational pillars of our work were the prison industrial complex (including police violence and court corruption, workers’ rights, women and youth. OBS’ youth wing eventually became a separate tax-exempt organization, the Youth Council for Positive Development. OBS has been called to lead in many other issues facing the African American community such as health care, public education, housing, media and internationalism. Our motto is “Black People on the Move!” because have been at the forefront of the burning issues facing our community. Over the years OBS has been involved in an extraordinary number of local, national and international movements, campaigns and initiatives including (but not limited to): the Anti-Apartheid Movement, African Liberation Day Celebrations, the Black Political Assembly, Justice for Frances Beasley, Atlanta Missing and Murdered Children’s Committee, St. Louis Black United Front, National Campaign Against Racist Genocide, Wrightsville March Against the Klan, Ellen Reasonover Support Committee, the Black Radical Congress, Freeman Bosley for Mayor Campaign, National Black United Front, Show Me $15 Campaign, Coalition Against Police Crime and Repression (CAPCR), the Don’t Shoot Coalition, to name a few. OBS is one of the oldest Black-led, mass organization with radical politics in the state of Missouri. Key to OBS’s longevity is our political analysis, our inter-generational membership and our uncompromising commitment to fight for political power, economic justice and cultural dignity for African Americans, especially the Black working class.

Our goal and mission is to “stomp the divide” between Black tech workers and to fundamentally influence and effect change on an industry that has historically not sought parity with respect to Black workers. Our intent is to level the playing field through training, education, networking, and mentorship with the support of allies, partners, sponsors, and most importantly our global members.