Missouri’s political and civil rights landscape is mourning the loss of Rep. Bill Clay Sr., the state’s first Black congressman, who died Thursday at the age of 94.
Clay served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 32 years, representing Missouri’s 1st District from 1969 until his retirement in 2001. Known as both a civil rights champion and a workers’ rights advocate, Clay played a pivotal role in reshaping St. Louis during a period of dramatic social and economic change.
A driving force behind the city’s transformation after “white flight” in the wake of the Civil Rights Act, Clay brokered deals with trade unions and corporate leaders to modernize St. Louis. The result was the emergence of a new skyline surrounding the city’s iconic Gateway Arch.
Clay’s influence extended beyond infrastructure. His political endorsement carried immense weight, often making or breaking Democratic candidates, while his expectation of loyalty from allies became part of his reputation as a formidable figure in Missouri politics.
“The Black community, almost overwhelmingly, looked at him as a fighter for them,” said his son, former Congressman Lacy Clay.
Even before entering national politics, Clay was at the forefront of St. Louis’ fight for equality. At just 28, he won a seat on the St. Louis Board of Aldermen in 1959. He became a recognizable figure in sit-ins that challenged segregation at local businesses, including restaurants and hotels that separated Black and white patrons.
“St. Louis was no different from any of the cities in the South,” Clay recalled in a 1998 interview. “We had rigid segregation — not by law, but by custom.”
As the city’s Black population grew in influence after the passage of the 1965 Civil Rights Act, Clay’s leadership stood as a symbol of the shifting balance of power in St. Louis…
