[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 129 (Wednesday, September 18, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1642-E1643]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO DR. DONALD SUGGS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM (BILL) CLAY

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 18, 1996

  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my good friend, 
constituent, and a wonderful American, Dr. Donald Suggs.
  Dr. Suggs is a man of many gifts and talents, and shares each 
selflessly with his community and friends. As president and publisher 
of the No. 1 African-American weekly newspaper in America, the St. 
Louis American, Donald keeps the metropolitan St. Louis community 
apprised of prevalent issues on the Federal, State, and local levels. 
Each week more than 65,000 readers in the area pick up a copy of the 
free publication to read about politics, business, the arts, and other 
subjects of interest to the broader African-American community.
  Each year the St. Louis American spotlights the community's unsung 
heroes at the ``St. Louis American Salute to Excellence in the 
Community''. Proceeds from the banquet held in honor of the recipients 
are used to fund scholarships for promising young men and women in the 
community.
  In addition to running the newspaper company, Dr. Suggs provides 
medical service to indigent residents in his successful oral surgery 
practice. He is also president of Alexander-Suggs Gallery of African 
American Art, a founding board member of the Center for African Art in 
New York, and serves on the board of directors of the Regional Commerce 
and Growth Association.
  It gives me great pleasure to share with our colleagues an 
inspirational account of the life of Dr. Donald Suggs as recorded in 
the September 1996 edition of St. Louis Commerce.

              [From the St. Louis Commerce/September 1996]

                            The American Way

       In addition to being a practicing oral surgeon, an activist 
     during the civil rights movement, an art dealer and 
     collector, a managing principal in a pre-paid dental plan and 
     a partner in an airport retail concession business. Donald M. 
     Suggs somehow has found the time and energy to steer one 
     of the most acclaimed African-American newspapers in the 
     country into 40 to 45 percent of all African-American 
     households in the St. Louis metro area.
       Suggs and two partners bought the St. Louis American in 
     1980. A few years later, Suggs brought a majority share and 
     took an active role in the paper's operation in 1984.
       ``The decision to be involved in The St. Louis American was 
     not a well-thought-out business decision.'' remembers Suggs, 
     who is president and publisher. ``The paper was burdened with 
     debt in a segment of publishing that didn't have any 
     discernible prospects for growth.''
       As publisher, Suggs has been able to raise capital through 
     his personal resources and company earnings, reduce the 
     paper's debt load, increase circulation and bolster the staff 
     in key positions.
       ``Revenues have multiplied by five in the last nine years 
     and our revenue from the first two quarters of this year is 
     up 23 percent over last year,'' remarks Suggs. The newspaper 
     is distributed free from more than 650 distribution points 
     throughout the St. Louis area.
       Ten years ago, the circulation for the American averaged 
     from 4,000 to 6,000 copies per week. Today, the audited 
     circulation is 65,500, making the 68-year-old paper the 
     area's largest black weekly, the largest black newspaper in 
     Missouri and one of the largest in the country. In relation 
     to the size of St. Louis' African-American population, the 
     paper's percentage of household penetration ranks at or near 
     the top in the nation.
       In addition to increased revenues and circulation, The St. 
     Louis American has improved dramatically the quality of the 
     news content. Earlier this summer, the American was named the 
     best African-American newspaper in the nation by the National 
     Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) in competition with 
     220 other papers.
       The John B. Russwurm Award is named after the co-publisher 
     of the first African-American newspaper in America. On March 
     16, 1827, Russwurm and Samuel E. Cornish began publishing 
     Freedom's Journal, whose goal was to ``arrest the progress of 
     prejudice and to shield ourselves against its consequent 
     evils.''
       This year was the first time any newspaper in Missouri had 
     received the Russwurm award. In the finals, the American 
     topped the Baltimore Afro-American and the Los Angeles 
     Sentinel.
       Suggs says. ``(The Russwrum) is a premier award and it has 
     been a great boost for morale of the staff.'' Besides winning 
     NNPA awards for general excellence and best paper, the 
     American also won awards for writing, layout and design, 
     special sections and advertising.
       Another indication of the improved quality of the American 
     has been the regularity with which it has either won or 
     placed high in recent Missouri Press Association competitions 
     which include all papers in Missouri. The American has 18 
     full-time employees.
       Suggs' earlier interests didn't point to his becoming a 
     newspaper publisher.
       Born and raised in East Chicago, Ind., in a solid, 2-parent 
     household, Suggs went to Indiana University where he received 
     a bachelor's degree and a doctorate in dental surgery. He did 
     his post-graduate work at Washington University and Homer G. 
     Phillips Hospital. He was chief of oral surgery at Dover Air 
     Force Base in Delaware before coming back to St. Louis.
       ``In 1961, I was completing my tour with the Air Force. I 
     was offered a job at Washington University's dental school. 
     When I arrived, the offer was rescinded because I was 
     black,'' notes Suggs. He later was asked to join the faculty 
     at Saint Louis University's dental school where he served as 
     the school's first African-American associate clinical 
     professor. During this period, Suggs also worked in 
     anesthesia at various hospitals in St. Louis to supplement 
     his income.
       During his tenure as a part-time faculty member, Suggs 
     became active in the civil rights movement during the 1960s 
     and 1970s. In 1968, he served as St. Louis chairman of the 
     Poor People's March in Washington.
       ``After my third child was born, I knew I had to have more 
     money than the amount I was earning teaching and giving 
     anesthesia, so I started my oral surgery practice on North 
     Kingshighway. I'm still practicing part-time,'' says Suggs.
       After his private practice became successful, Suggs was 
     able to pursue his growing interest in serious art. ``I 
     slowly started acquiring pieces. Some time later, I had the 
     opportunity to get into the business side of art,'' says 
     Suggs.
       As long-time president of the Alexander-Suggs Gallery of 
     African Art based in St. Louis and New York City, he 
     broadened his contacts in the art world. Later, as founder 
     and chairman of the African Continuum, he helped bring non-
     commercial artistic endeavors to St. Louis. He also was a 
     founding

[[Page E1643]]

     board member of the Center for African Art in New York City, 
     now known as the Museum of African Art.
       His involvement in the art world and the civil rights 
     movement were an impetus for Suggs to buy The St. Louis 
     American. ``I got involved in the paper because of my 
     interest in social change and my desire to have some 
     influence on major public policy issues,'' Suggs says.
       Now, Suggs feels he can help have a positive impact on the 
     African-American community through involvement in major 
     economic and infrastructure issues that affect the entire 
     region. ``It is much easier to make positive changes for 
     African Americans in an economy that is growing. For 
     instance, interest rates, trade policy and their effect on 
     the economy have as much or more influence on the African-
     American community's well-being as do major social 
     policies,'' says Suggs.
       ``That is why we are so interested in the RCGA's creation 
     of the Greater St. Louis Economic Development Council and its 
     commitment to create 100,000 new jobs. Transportation issues 
     like airport expansion and MetroLink expansion are of great 
     interest because of their potential economic benefits for the 
     entire community.'' Suggs currently serves on RCGA's board of 
     directors.
       Suggs also is concerned with St. Louis' failure to give 
     greater priority to the recruitment and nurturing of top-
     level, professional African Americans. The St. Louis region 
     needs to be more proactive in encouraging and supporting 
     minority business, he says.
       ``St. Louis has done, with a few notable expectations, a 
     poor job of attracting well-prepared people--particularly 
     entrepreneurs--who are now going to Atlanta, New York, 
     Chicago, Houston or Los Angeles for opportunities. Although 
     there has been some improvement in recent years, we still 
     don't have our share of highly-motivated, talented African 
     Americans and that is a big concern,'' he says. Minority 
     entrepreneurship and business development are underutilized 
     resources for this region.
       What does the future hold for the American?
       ``Our strategic plan includes providing more comprehensive 
     coverage of the black business community. A stronger black 
     business community is a boon to St. Louis' economy. We also 
     have expanded our working women's sections and we are 
     developing a new minority health section in collaboration 
     with some local African-American physicians that focuses on 
     health education, behavior modification and health careers.'' 
     says Suggs.

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