No matter how many times my mother took me to the black historical sites of St. Louis when I was younger, I didn’t appreciate it.

I did not appreciate the stories of Tina Turner’s high school years here at Sumner High School (which is the first school for blacks west of the Mississippi) or Chuck Berry’s start or Katherine Dunham, who began her work that would revolutionize the world of dance across the Mississippi River in East St. Louis, Illinois. Even my great grandfather’s tales about hearing at night the moans and cries of the slaves who were sold on the steps of the Old Courthouse, did not move me to interest.

Not until adulthood did I realize the rich past of my hometown.

St. Louis was the frontier in the fight against slavery with Dred Scott suing for his freedom in 1847 at the Old Courthouse downtown. It is a city that birthed the first black multi-millionaire/philanthropist Annie Malone. She created a variety of hair care products including the first patented pressing comb, which preceded the one made popular by an employee of hers, Madame C.J. Walker.
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After standing on St. Louis Avenue wondering what existed here during this street’s heyday, I left the abandoned buildings and the closed-down gas station with the old 70s gas pumps on the outside and stepped inside to see what The Griot Museum of Black History and Culture had to offer.

I was pleasantly surprised.

I was greeted at the door of the former Catholic school by a life size likeness of Carter G. Woodson, the father of black history and was ushered into the museum by a wonderful staff person who explained the route of the tour. Since the Griot was formerly The Black World History Wax Museum, I expected only to see wax figures of famous African Americans. But there is much more at The Griot, which in some African countries is the term used for the person in the community who collects, preserves and shares the stories and objects of the community. During the first segment of the tour, I encountered the Middle Passage.

I am sensitive so it was too up close and personal for me. My family says I am not a good judge that way. I literally stumbled …

The vibe of this eclectic shopping and entertainment center will alter any well-made plans.
I had an agenda and I was on task until I unbuckled my seatbelt and stepped onto the six-block section of Delmar Boulevard known as “The Loop.”
I was drawn like a magnet to reggae beats of an outdoor concert that was part of “The Loop in Motion Festival.”
The outdoor concert drew dancers all backgrounds and cultures. There were African-American college students from nearby Washington University.
Black urban professionals and artists. And teens from surrounding neighborhoods celebrated, too.
With its numerous boutiques, specialty shops and restaurant choices that include Lebanese, Thai, Ethiopian and Greek cuisine, the American Planning Association has named this business districts “one of the 10 best streets in America.”
Live music – from jazz to blues- can be heard any night of the week in The Loop. You may even catch Chuck Berry playing at The Loop’s legendary Blueberry Hill, which is a restaurant that offers some of the best hamburgers around. The Loop offers a variety of art galleries, outdoor cafes and a theatre.
As I walked eastward down Delmar, which is lined with a …