Photo by Ag Photography
By Caprice Foster
The modern-day Black Lives Matter Movement
(BLM) that is building and growing has evolved from the shoulders of many men
and women before it. From the battles fought during the Civil Rights Movement
of the 1960s, to the Black Power Movement of the 1960s and ‘70s, to the
anti-apartheid fight of the 1980s and ‘90s, the impassioned song of the activist
proves that though the lyrics may change, the heart behind it remains the same.
One of St. Louis’ most well-known
activists is Rev. Phillip Duvall. With 24 years of grassroots activism under
his belt, he has seen it all and continues to fight and serve as an advocate
for the voiceless. The most recent fruits of his labor, and that of his
colleague Shahid, has arrived in the form of the recent charge of former St.
Louis Police officer Jason Stockley for the murder of Anthony Lamar Smith in 2011. The reintroduction of the
case in the media has not come without controversy.
“I had a thirst for social justice to ensure
that people are treated fairly and that we carried out, in America’s terms, equal
protection under the law,” Rev. Duvall reflected while recounting how he became
an activist. The activism seed was planted early in him due to some very
prominent activists who had relationships with his father, Rev. Clarence Duvall
Sr.
Photo courtesy of Ag Photography
“I was born in the ‘60s, and growing up in
the ‘70s and ‘80s, you get to reflect on a lot of history. Growing up in the
church and hearing a lot of stories, I probably caught the ‘bug’ and didn’t
know I had it.”
Some of his mentors, include his father for
his “calming inspiration and patience” in his life, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,
Rev. Jessie Jackson, as well as Minister Louis Farrakhan.
Aside from having such an illustrious
group of mentors to inspire him, Duvall also encountered his own personal experiences
with racism which influenced his decision to one day become an activist. “I
left the safe confines of Webster Groves and became a military policeman at 18
years old. I witnessed injustice as a young soldier at Fort Polk, Louisiana in
1982, where I heard Leesville police make reference to ‘nigger soldiers’ as we
watched a burning body hanging from a tree.”
“In the early ‘90s, I was a child care
supervisor for juvenile delinquents at a home that was located in the Central
West End. I experienced firsthand how young black men were incarcerated at an
early age.” It was through his work there that Duvall witnessed unethical and
illegal behavior by police officers as they interacted with young black men.
“I was shocked with the excessive police force
of young black youth, which I viewed as illegal behavior by the police. I was
tired of hearing the news of black men being beaten to death and being shot to
death. I wanted police officers to appropriately police us, but not beat us and
kill us.”
This has been the platform for which Rev.
Duvall has found his calling in the movement.
However, his work has not been without its adversity. “Your life gets
threatened when an establishment gets exposed. I’ve received death threats.
I’ve had people slash my tires at meetings. You deal with the vicious,
unfounded attacks people say about you.”
The husband of Celeste, and father of two
daughters, Liberty and Serenity, also pointed out how his activism work has
impacted his family time and sleep. “It takes a lot of your time if you’re
committed. It cuts into my sleep. You
get consumed by some of the stories.”
In spite of the burdens that come with the
work, Rev. Duvall believes that the victories that result from his work, make
it all worth it. “To be an advocate, you’re out for change. When you can get
change, that’s a win.”
Photo by Ag Photography
With the current national attention that
BLM has garnered, Rev. Duvall expressed his excitement about where things are
going. “As an activist, I am excited because people are standing up saying ‘enough
is enough’. I’m inspired by the modern day movement because the younger
generation has heart and passion, and you’re not playing with the power
structure and they know it.”
If there’s any advice that Rev. Duvall can
offer to the current Movement, he shares these words, “economic boycotting is
still the most effective form of boycotting. Be true to yourself. Give yourself
real timelines.”
He also has inspiring words for anyone
interested in serving in activism. “If your heart is telling you to do it, then
do your research. Find something that you love. If you learn how to be an
advocate for yourself, then you’ll learn to be an advocate for others.”
With the most recent wave of protests by
such celebrities like Colin Kaepernick, the aftermath of Alton Sterling and
Philando Castile, and the deadliest mass shooting in recent American history at
the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, the country is at a crossroads, and at
a fever pitch in its race relations, fight for equal rights, calls for stronger
gun laws, and fight against police brutality. Now, as we all watch and wait to
see what will happen next in this epic story that is American history, Rev.
Duvall has his own thoughts about the future of activism in St. Louis, and our entire
country.
“In St. Louis, the level of consciousness
is here now. It’s a season of consciousness. As for the country, she is widely awake! Your generation has
proven [the protests] are not going away until things get fixed. The release of
videotapes within a certain period of time will be a requirement. The movement
will continue.”
“As for St. Louis, if we don’t remain
vigilant, then history will repeat itself.”
~Photos by Ag Photography
