Michael Brown's mother loses Ferguson City Council race

FERGUSON, Mo. — Michael Brown’s mother was defeated Tuesday in her bid for a seat on the City Council in Ferguson, Missouri, where her son died in a police shooting that helped give rise to the national Black Lives Matter movement.

Lesley McSpadden finished third in a three-way race in Ferguson's 3rd Ward. Unofficial St. Louis County election results show the winner was Fran Griffin. The race also featured Keith Kallstrom, who was the incumbent.

"I congratulate Fran on her victory. I feel proud of the positive race we ran, and I loved talking to the Ferguson community," McSpadden said late Tuesday night in an emailed statement. "Tomorrow, the work continues and I intend to be a part of it no matter my position. I'm not going anywhere."

Brown, a black 18-year-old, was fatally shot by white Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9, 2014, touching off months of protests and violence. Wilson claimed he was forced to shoot when the unarmed Brown came at him menacingly after attacking the officer during a street confrontation. A St. Louis County grand jury's November 2014 decision not to indict Wilson sparked renewed unrest in the St. Louis suburb, where two-thirds of the 21,000 residents are black.

Read more: https://www.nola.com/national_politics/2019/04/michael-browns-mother-loses-ferguson-city-council-race.html

Cross-posted in the African American Group.