MOKAN Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Highway I-70 Shutdown

Join MOKAN as they commemorate 25 years since the shutdown of Highway I-70, a pivotal event in the history of the local community.

Mokan will be celebrating the 25th Anniversary of its historic shutdown of Highway I-70 on July 12, 1999.  The action was one of the most significant acts of civil disobedience exercised in St. Louis since the Jefferson Bank protest in 1963.

Over three hundred protesters stormed the highway in both directions at I-70 at Goodfellow Blvd.  Orchestrated by MoKan in collaboration with the St. Louis NAACP, deliberations between city and state officials, MoDot and community stakeholders paved the way for the advancement of initiatives that empowered employed minority and women workers and contractors, the creation of the Construction Prep School, Mokan’s pre-apprentice training program and thousands of residents trained for entry into the construction industry.

The protest brought national spotlight and interest from media and the likes of Rev. Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King III and local civic and political leaders and was lead by then Mokan Executive Director Eddie Hasan, attorney Eric E. Vickers, Tiahmo Rauf, and Anthony Shahid.

The celebration gathering will take place on July 27th, from 12-3pm at  O’ Fallon Park, 1955 Adelaide Ave, St. Louis, MO.  Speakers will include UAPO Zaki Baruti, attorney Randall Cahill, Anthony Shahid, Ajuma Muhammad, Malik Ahmed, Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, Eddie Hasan.  Invited guests  Rev. Al Sharpton, Mayor Tishaura JOnes, Congresswoman Cori Bush, Sens. Karla May and Steve Roberts, Reps. Kim Collins and Marlon Anderson, and Alderpersons Laura Keys, Sharon Tyus, Rasheen Aldridge, Shameem Clark Hubbard and Board President Megan Green.

A balloon release honoring the memories of those involved in the protest and negotiations, such as Gov. Mel Carnahan, Dick Gregory, Sen Paula j. Carter, Eric Vickers, Rep. Charles Q. Troupe, Tiahmo Rauf, MoDot Board Chair Lee Kling, fmr Urban League CEO Jim Buford and more.  Invited speakers are Rev. Al Sharpton, Congresswoman Cori Bush, Mayor Tishaura Jones, Sen. Karla May, Sen. Steve Roberts, fmr State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed.

What:  Mokan 25th Anniversary Celebration of Historic I-70 Shutdown

When:  July 27, 2024       12-3pm

Where:  1955 Adelaide Avenue, St. Louis MO  (O’Fallon Park)

For more information contact::

Eddie Hasan

314-583-1326

Yaphett El-Amin

314-807-7590

Mokan CCAC

314-454-9675

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