RETURN

Click to enlarge

GREEN CANDIDATE
April 5 General Election

Congratulations!
WILLIE
MARSHALL
for achieving
21% in

the recent CITY ELECTION
for Mayor of the City of St. Louis
Click for 10 key issues

GREEN Party USA

 

 

 


Tribute to Willie Marshall
1941 - 2007



1941 to 2007

Obituaries

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

St. Louis American

Green Party work

2005 Mayoral campaign

Born in 1941, Willie Marshall was 65 years old. Funeral services for Willie Marshall were held at the Muhammad Academy, 3625 N. Garrison [a block east of Natural Bridge & Grand]. He was buried the following day next to his mother's grave in Centralia, Illinois.

He will be missed by all of us.

 

Green Party laments death of state chairman
By Jo Mannies
Monday, Jul. 16 2007

Activists with the Missouri Green Party announced late tonight the death of Willie Marshall, chairman of the state party and the city of St. Louis’ Green Party Central Committee.

More than anyone else, Willie Marshall was responsible for bringing a Black perspective to the Green Party,” said Party activist Barbara Chicherio in a statement, which said that Marshall “passed while asleep early July 14 after a long bout of lung and heart problems.”

A military veteran and retired postal worker, Marshall was an outspoken critic of the war in Iraq. He appeared on Green Time TV and spoke at Black and Green Wednesday programs insisting that Black people should not be wounded and killed in a war for oil profits,'’ the party’s statement said. “Marshall also participated in national events as a member of the National Committee of the Green Party USA.

He often told us of his personal experiences as a victim of racism, especially while in the military in 1959 and 1960,” Chicherio said. “But there was never bitterness in what he said. He always pointed out injustice and what needed to be done. That’s why he was so effective at changing the Green Party from almost all white to a group where Blacks are a majority at most meetings. Willie brought an African-American perspective; he brought ideas that people listened to; and, he brought other Black people.”

According to the release, Marshall was elected Outreach Coordinator for the Green Party of St. Louis in 2004. He also collected 10% of the citywide vote that year as Green Party candidate for Public Administrator. “The next year he was the Green Party nominee for Mayor and won 21% of the vote against Democrat Francis Slay,'’ the party’s statement said. “That was the highest vote that any Green Party candidate, including Ralph Nader, has ever received in the City of St. Louis… Marshall won over 40% of the vote in predominantly Black wards 2, 4, and 21.”

People all over north St. Louis knew Willie,” according to Ziah Reddick, Treasurer for the Green Party of St. Louis. If you were passing out literature for him, someone would tell you how much they liked him because of something he had done to help them out. People knew they could trust Willie Marshall.”

Since 2005, Marshall worked with Greens on childhood lead poisoning prevention…”But he was highly critical of approaches by the City of St. Louis, charging that it was not targeting areas where the most children were lead poisoned,'’ the party added.


Wednesday, July 18, 2007 6:19 PM CDT

Green Party Chair Willie Marshall passes at 65

Willie Marshall passed while asleep early July 14, 2007 after a long bout of lung and heart problems. He was chair of both the Missouri Green Party and St. Louis Green Party Central Committee. Born in 1941, Willie Marshall was 65 years old.

“More than anyone else, Willie Marshall was responsible for bringing a black perspective to the Green Party,” said party activist Barbara Chicherio.

A military veteran and retired postal worker, Marshall was an outspoken critic of the war in Iraq. He appeared on Green Time TV and spoke at Black and Green Wednesday programs insisting that black people should not be wounded and killed in a war for oil profits. Marshall also participated in national events as a member of the National Committee of the Green Party USA.

“He often told us of his personal experiences as a victim of racism, especially while in the military in 1959 and 1960,” said Chicherio. “But there was never bitterness in what he said. He always pointed out injustice and what needed to be done. That’s why he was so effective at changing the Green Party from almost all white to a group where blacks are a majority at most meetings.”

In 2004, Marshall was elected Outreach Coordinator for the Green Party of St. Louis. That year, he won 10 percent of the vote as Green Party candidate for Public Administrator. The next year he was the Green Party nominee for Mayor and won 21 percent of the vote against Democrat Francis G. Slay. That was the highest vote that any Green Party candidate, including Ralph Nader, has ever received in the city of St. Louis.

Since 2005, Marshall worked with Greens on childhood lead poisoning prevention. He went to meetings called by the Greens, Health & Environmental Justice and Lead Safe St. Louis. He was highly critical of approaches by the City of St. Louis, charging that it was not targeting areas where the most children were lead poisoned.

Marshall founded the New Generation Solidarity Consumers Union. Strongly influenced by struggles such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, he felt such a tool should be a permanent part of organizing. He said, “A consumers union can leverage economic sanctions to get justice.”

Working for justice was Willie Marshall’s life.

Funeral services will be Saturday, July 21 at 11 a.m. at the Muhammad Academy, 3625 N. Garrison, a block east of Natural Bridge and Grand. He will be buried the following day next to his mother's grave in Centralia, Illinois.

http://stlamerican.com/articles/2007/07/19/news/obituaries/obit01.prt


You are invited to share your comments, memories, and photos about Willie on this page. Please send to: contact@gateway-greens.org. Include in the Subject line of your message: "Please post on Willie's Tribute page"

 

 

Last updated 23 Sept 2006. Contact: contact@gateway-greens.org