Bill Clay : a political voice at the grass roots / Bill Clay.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Clay, William L.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Clay, William L.

United States. Congress. House.

Legislators--United States--Biography.

Legislators.

African American legislators.

United States.

United States. Congress. House--Biography.

African American legislators--Biography.

Saint Louis (Mo.)--Politics and government.

Saint Louis (Mo.).

Missouri--Politics and government--1951-.

Missouri.

Politics and government.

Genre:

Biographies.

Autobiographies.

Physical Description:

xv, 328 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

St. Louis : Missouri Historical Society Press ; [Columbia] : Distributed by University of Missouri Press, [2004]

Summary:

As Democratic ward committeeman for more than twenty years (a position that controlled many patronage jobs), Bill Clay Sr. was forced to endorse candidates in primary elections, even in the most contentious and divisive contests. This committee post was concurrent with his congressional responsibilities, putting the committeeman-congressman at the epicenter of most local political storms.

Clay recounts his forty-two-year odyssey through a career filled with controversy, conflict, and confrontation. He challenged both the established rule of the white St. Louis power structure and the black "don't rock the boat" political and civil rights advocates. In the process, he changed the face of a racially discriminatory economic, political, and social system.

Clay's struggle to gain power and to keep it was not confined to fights with other politicians and business executives, however. It also involved an ongoing fight for his political survival with the media. One daily newspaper waged a publicly declared campaign to ensure his loss in every election. Without compromising his principles or softening his attacks on racists and racism, Clay battled back. He won re-election fifteen consecutive times, and the newspaper eventually folded. In the end, Clay, using his tremendous vote-getting apparatus, became one of Missouri's most powerful political voices in controlling election-year issues and determining the success of candidates' campaigns in both citywide and statewide elections.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Genesis of Black Politics in St. Louis: The Historic Pythian Meeting 1

Chapter 2 Early Days of Bill Clay: From Childhood to Manhood 11

Chapter 3 Entering the Political Arena 23

Chapter 4 Hectic Days Following the 1959 Election 53

Chapter 5 1960: A Year of Decisive Political Results for Negroes 69

Chapter 6 Road to Political Respect 87

Chapter 7 Jefferson Bank Demonstrations 107

Chapter 8 Warren E. Hearnes: My Choice for Governor 131

Chapter 9 A. J. Cervantes: Gifted, Innovative Politician 143

Chapter 10 Barriers Overcome in Electing a Black U.S. Congressman and a Black Citywide Official 155

Chapter 11 Influence of Women on My Political Career 173

Chapter 12 The Politics of Self-Destruction 189

Chapter 13 Bruising 1974 Candidacy for Congress 209

Chapter 14 Bait Your Hook with a Snake to Catch a Bass: Bass's Campaign Undermined by Blacks 223

Chapter 15 Vincent Schoemehl: Hope for Inclusion 245

Chapter 16 Payback Time: Revenge or Retribution 269

Chapter 17 Bill Clay Sr.: Labor Born and Bred 283

Chapter 18 A Summary of the Black Struggle 303.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 319-323) and index.

ISBN:

1883982529

OCLC:

56334300