Kin of Kinloch

Residents Reunite to Rebuild Ransacked Refuge

(Photograph: South Side Spaces)

Just like the historic the Hill neighbourhood in Saint Louis, home to the Ville neighbourhood and also known as the oldest Black American city in Missouri, Kinloch was started in the 19th century and officially founded as an all-Black city in 1948. The town has had a Black presence and acted as a space of refuge for many years, even being called home by many who fled the race riots of 1917 in East Saint Louis, IL and those fleeing overt & lasting racism in the South. The historic city has produced great talent like the likes of actress, artist, and activist Jenifer Lewis & Congresswoman Maxine Waters (to name a couple).

Unfortunately, Black cities have never lasted as long as they should, and historic ones often fare no better. Kinloch has seen gentrification efforts for decades, the 1980s bringing extensions of Lambert International Airport that greatly reduced the size of the town. According to the city of Kinloch's website, "Between 1990 and 2000, Kinloch lost more than 75 percent of its population", to this expansion. The site went-on to label it the greatest contributor to population decline. Presently, the Census Reporter has the population resting at 291 residents (Woodson, 2024).

Much of what is now considered Berkeley, MO was Kinloch. Walter Johnson, a Black preacher elected to the 3-member school board in the mid-1900s, pushed for education reform within the segregated Kinloch district. He pushed for equal funding for Black schools, resulting in major push-back by white residents that culminated in the establishment of Berkeley, MO to quell white fears. This majorly took resources from the city of Kinloch, according to city officials like former superintendent of Kinloch, John Wright, Sr. (Woodson, 2024).

After the 1972 case UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff, v. STATE OF MISSOURI et al., Defendants. declared it unconstitutional for there to remain separate schools in Berkeley (for white students) and Kinloch (for Black students), the two districts were consolidated with the Ferguson-Florissant districts. According to Dr. Daniel Monti of my alma mater, it was already being realized in the 1970s how valuable was the land Berkeley and Kinloch sat upon. The mass-bussing separated and exhausted the community. The racial tensions and pressures faced by the children and adults involved in the transition were detrimental. White parents and teachers were opposed to Black children bringing "Black" crime and Black parents and community leaders decried what was perceived as the initial act leading to the destruction of their community. Overwhelmingly, the Kinloch community disagreed and still is opposed to this major change (Woodson, 2024).

In the 1980s, around the time of decisions being made to grow Lambert into a HUB, the F.A.A. claimed it was harmful to have citizens live so close to the airport for noise concerns. This was a nation-wide campaign. The Noise Mitigation Program mandated Kinloch residents couldn't stay within 175 acres of the airport property, according to the former development director of the city, Ms. Felicia Pulliam. This buy-out was disguised as a need for more space for runways; though, some residents believe this is a furthering of the dissolvement of the community. The program quickly expanded and required residents to leave their homes. Residents attest to being pressured to leave without being given a choice. According to Washington University's Dr. Patti Heyda, "residences were offered a sound mitigation plan everywhere except, literally, the boundary of Kinloch" (Woodson, 2024).

During 911, when the number of flights nationally dropped to a noticeable low, it was revealed that Lambert had no real plans all along to develop in the bought-out areas, and they further laid in ruin. According to the city manager, this can be proven by the very fact that the deeds to land where homes once stood are available for (re)purchase, but not for residential purposes (Woodson, 2024).

In 2011, Mayor Keith Conway of Kinloch was indicted for embezzlement, resulting in a vacancy that was filled by former City Manager, Eric Mason, in an unconventional staffing decision. He then fired Ms. Pulliam and others within office. Later in 2013, after Darren Small gave-up his role as mayor upon indictment, my mother, former Interim Mayor, Theda Wilson, took the position. She arrived in Kinloch with hopes and aspirations of rebuilding and reconnecting the community, but the same corruption and unethicality that guided the political hand of the city was still present at and after her arrival. In January of 2015, Ms. Wilson was assaulted by multiple officers of the city of Kinloch (her own police force) after reporting a potential burglary in her building, according to the RiverFront Times.

Despite the dilapidation and dwindling population, many efforts have been put forth to save and revitalize the city of Kinloch over the years. Filmmaker Alana Woodson, whose father grew-up in the area, made a documentary about the subject, upon which the majority of this article is based. Local, Bryia Johnson, has started a Facebook group with an initiative to rebuild the community of Kinloch and fight the gentrification taking place there. The Kinloch Community is welcoming, "all the [residents, former residents,] and descendants of Kinloch". There were also rehabilitation efforts made by the city itself and volunteers in and outside of the area of greater Saint Louis. Presently, there is a plan known as Vision 2030: St. Louis County Parks & Recreation Master Plan. It recognizes the need of Kinloch's parks and has promised $1.5 million for restoration and other development. Follow this link to learn more and see how you can help invest in a city that has managed to outlast racism, segregation, and multiple attempts at its actual destruction:

Revitalizing Kinloch Park — St. Louis County Parks Foundation (stlcountyparksfoundation.org)

Sources

Hood, E. (2017, January 19). The Kinloch Telephone Company. South Side Spaces. https://southsidespaces.com/kinloch-history-part-1/

Johnson, B. (2024, April 1). the Kinloch Community Group. the Kinloch Community. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1905908533192521

Kinloch, C. of. (n.d.). City of Kinloch, MO. https://www.kinlochmo.org/resources/history.php

Marie, A. (2024, February 16). the Kinloch Doc. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3SY0ru_43k

Parks, S. C. (n.d.). Revitalizing Kinloch Park. St. Louis County Parks Foundation. https://www.stlcountyparksfoundation.org/kinloch-park?fbclid=IwAR3CPMipM7HicU5ZBpA9_MEnab16DOdSiartNj9JmaOD6ta5ktsud3LZVKI_aem_AeYrgmLPLtPyXoUkhlr96SrgNKCOAcZ1BHjWIx-dqfu1N2HoyH_G0Pf_10kmZTZaPKZh3Oz5mXY4xdqxllfVnUCs

Swag, S. 4. (2015, January 23). This is What Her Police Department Gave Her. She is the Interim Mayor of Kinloch. Search4Swag. https://twitter.com/search4swag/status/558508637304664064

Toler, L. (2015, January 23). Kinloch Police Arrest Former Interim Mayor Theda Wilson After Fight with Three Cops. RiverFront Times. RFT. Retrieved April 1, 2024, from https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/kinloch-police-arrest-former-interim-mayor-theda-wilson-after-fight-with-three-cops-2589964.