UMSL CANCELS THE 46TH ANNIVERSARY PROGRAM OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR BLACK STRUGGLE

For Immediate Release
March 16, 2026

Months in the planning, the University pulled the plug one week before the big event St. Louis – The 46th anniversary celebration of the Organization for Black Struggle was rescheduled due to the January snowstorm. This year’s event marked a significant departure from previous celebrations: the dinner portion was eliminated, and for the first time, the event included a partnership with the Museum Department of the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL).
Since 2024, 

OBS and UMSL have been actively collaborating on OBS’s legacy project, with the Missouri State Historical Society housing OBS’s digital archives. The archive project was scheduled to be publicly launched at the anniversary celebration. From its inception in 1980, OBS has forged strong connections with UMSL, engaging with various student groups, departments, and initiatives over the years.

This shared history made the news of the event’s cancellation just one week prior even more troubling. The inconsistent explanations suggest that external pressure may have influenced the university’s decision. If there was an administrative issue with the contract, it was internal to the departments involved, yet OBS will endure most of the consequences.

The cancellation affected its largest fundraiser of the year and is likely to create financial hardship for the organization in the future. OBS firmly believes that UMSL bowed to political influences, likely due to the organization’s
long and unwavering stance on police accountability and its outspoken opposition to the state takeover of the St. Louis Police Department.

“With the long relationship OBS has had with UMSL, we have to acknowledge that what makes it different now is the political climate in Missouri,” said Jamala Rogers, OBS spokesperson. “Add to that my role as plaintiff in Rogers v State of Missouri, and that UMSL is the secondary employment for St. Louis Police Chief Robert Tracy. We don’t believe any of this is a coincidence.”

OBS remains unapologetic in its commitment to police accountability and community control. MAGA policies threaten democracy, and this requires greater citizen participation than ever.