ESL
Shot: East St. Louis to commemorate the deadly race riots of 1917
Chaser: East St. Louis Township Supervisor admits to fraud, embezzling public funds
The more we scream about what white people did in the town coming up on a full century ago, (and there were actually two riots, there was an earlier bout in May), the more we don’t think about how black people have made the very name of “East St. Louis” an international laughing stock for the most recent almost half of that century.
“ESL” is its own hangover.
Countenance Blog 
East St. Louis – named an “All American City” in 1959. I’m sure the decline was well under way already by that point.
A StL resident from the mid-1950s told me ESL was “a niggertown” back then.
By 1960, ESL was a third black, and was just about all black ten years later.
Compared to the 0% in other suburbs, I guess 25-30% would make it a niggertown.
I’ve mentioned previously a trip we took to a Cardinal-Dodger baseball game in July 1965 at the old Busch Stadium/Sportsman’s Park. Early Sunday morning we checked out of a motel and started the drive back to Tennessee.
We drove through East St. Louis, maybe around 7 am. The streets were almost deserted. The area looked like a wasteland that time of day, although heavily populated in actuality.
I was worked in the 618 when Officer was mayor. fuck it was a depressing place. It’s still bad but i see a lot of hipsters coming accross the eads bridge
It may amuse you to know that “ESL” was/is the acronym for “English as a Second Language” in southern California schools. Of course the “first” language is usually Spanish here, not Ebonics.
Had to drive to Belleville last week for business and notice a huge “Fuck Trump” in graffiti on the side of one of the abandoned tall buildings in ESL’s “downtown.” Funny – it’s obvious what’s been going on hasn’t been working for ESL – it’s literally falling down, but they can work up anger at Trump. Not sure how they got it on the side of the building either.
We’re not sure how they built the pyramids either. Their genius is truly a mystery.
Those monkeys sure can jump.