Iconic Conversations: Vivian Gibson, Memories of the Mill Creek Neighborhood

Join us each month for a thought-provoking speaker series that brings St. Louis history to life. Gateway Arch National Park and Jefferson National Parks Association are proud to host compelling talks by local authors and other knowledgeable guests who will explore a variety of topics relevant to the St. Louis region. You might learn about our city’s early beginnings, its architecture, our prominent leaders, the rise of the Gateway Arch, our civil rights struggles, and the best things to do around town. Book discussions will be followed by an author signing opportunity. 

All programs are free and no reservations are needed. They will be held at 2:00 p.m. on the second Sunday of the month in the rotunda of the historic Old Courthouse (11 N. 4th Street, St. Louis, MO 63102). The building is fully accessible, and a sign language interpreter will be on hand for each presentation. 

Once home to 20,000 residents, the close-knit African American neighborhood of Mill Creek Valley in downtown St. Louis was demolished in 1959, a victim of federal urban renewal policies. Nearly 70 years later, the children who once lived in the segregated working-class community share their stories in Vivian Gibson’s moving memoir. These former residents look back on their lives, revealing their resilience as children who witnessed the decline and eventual erasure of their neighborhood.

Vivian herself grew up in Mill Creek Valley. Her collection of stories reveals extraordinary lives of ordinary people. In addition to discussing her book, she will screen her recently produced documentary short, titled “Remembering Mill Creek: When We Were There.”