The Jobbing of Andrew J. Gordon: Integration and St. Louis Police

At the turn of the Twentieth Century, black citizens of St. Louis comprised 6 percent of the population and were becoming a force in local elections. In recognition of this increasing political power, the St. Louis Police Department appointed two African-American Police Officers. One of these men, Andrew J. Gordon, made an exemplary record of over 900 arrests during his five year career. Yet, the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners terminated him in November 1905. This book is the story of Gordon's outstanding career, the powerful enemies he made, what led to his dismissal from the police force and what it tells us about St. Louis, Missouri at the beginning of the Twentieth Century. Gordon's story had to be told.