Gregory Freeman: The Deane Gets His Just Reward. P-D 3/22/1994

Headline: THE DEANE GETS HIS JUST REWARD
Reporter: By Gregory Freeman

Publication: ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Last Printed: Tues., Mar., 22/1994
Section: WAR PAGE, Page: 5C, Edition: FIVE STAR

REP. BILL CLAY calls Fred Weathers "the dean of black politics" here.
Significant words, considering that Clay has been a political fixture in St. Louis for more than 30 years.
"I give him a tremendous amount of credit for keeping black politics in focus, " said Clay, who still calls on the 88-year-old Weathers for advice. So do others. Weathers spent more than 40 years in St. Louis politics and was a major force in improving the quality of life for blacks here.

He was honored Saturday by the Epsilon Lambda Education Foundation, an affiliate of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Some 500 people turned out to recognize him and to name an annual scholarship for him.
"With all of his contributions over the years, we felt that it was proper to honor him, " said Eddie Davis, president of the St. Louis School Board and a member of the event's dinner committee.

Weathers, a protege of legendary political leader Jordan "Pop" Chambers, was instrumental in much of the progress made by blacks here from the 1930s to the 1970s. He helped elect the first black, the Rev. John J. Hicks, to the St. Louis School Board, and engineered the campaign for Theodore D. McNeal, the first black elected to the state Senate.
He also played a significant role in Clay becoming the first black from Missouri elected to Congress, in 1968. Chambers pushed to get the 1st Congressional District drawn so that a black could be elected.

Bennie G. Rodgers, the longtime executive editor of the St. Louis American, covered many of Weathers' activities over the years. He has nothing but praise for Weathers.
"Years ago I was told that he was the only politician who didn't take money for an endorsement, " Rodgers said. "Unlike some politicians, he would support you if he thought you were good. If he didn't think you were good, you couldn't make him support you by giving him money."

Rodgers cited an incident that's stuck with him over the years. He said Weathers had been at a meeting at the Fox Theatre, where he had persuaded Edward Arthur - then the owner of the city's most powerful movie theater chain - to open seven of his theaters to blacks.
Afterward, Weathers walked with Rodgers and Henry Wheeler, who worked almost full time on civil rights issues without pay. "When we got to Grand and Washington, Weathers dug in his pocket and gave some of his own money to Wheeler, because he knew that he was real active and it was hard for him to get a job, " Rodgers said. "He knew Wheeler was doing the right thing. That was impressive."

Weathers, the son of a teacher, grew up in Rolling Fork, Miss. He got a master's degree in business administration from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and did his undergraduate work at Atlanta University. In the late 1920s, he came to St. Louis to visit his brother, and never left.
Weathers rejected an offer to teach at Howard University after his brother and Chambers persuaded him to stay here to work for Chambers - then the city's top black Republican - as a precinct organizer.

In a 1979 interview, Weathers explained black politics of the 1930s.
"In those days, the only black Democrats were bootleggers and crap-game hustlers, " he said. "That's all they were interested in.
"The Republicans were still the party of Lincoln, but they weren't much better. . . . We had one black deputy sheriff at the Civil Courts Building. But the Republicans wouldn't let him show up in public."

Weathers, Chambers and others felt the GOP was taking black votes for granted, and began talks in 1933 with Democratic mayoral candidate Bernard Dickmann.
Chambers, Weathers and others promised to deliver black votes to Dickmann if he would provide more jobs for blacks at City Hall and support Chambers as a member of the Democratic Central Committee.
The deal was made. Dickmann won, Chambers became the first black on the Democratic committee, and blacks won more city jobs.

Weathers was involved in other issues over the years, including a City Charter amendment in 1948 that resulted in aldermen being elected by ward instead of citywide.
For years Weathers was 18th Ward Democratic committeeman and served on the St. Louis Police Board.

Weathers long ago retired from politics, but the results of his work are felt today.
Not bad for a kid from Rolling Fork, Miss.

Daniel Schesch - Webweaver

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