Post-Dispatch profiles Pam Meanes for 'Advancing St. Louis'
July 28, 2017
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s "Advancing St. Louis" section profiles local leaders who “are impacting the St. Louis region by inspiring change and starting conversation.” Last week that leader was Pam Meanes.
The Q&A covers her career as a litigator and her leadership on civil rights issues, including her tenure as president of the National Bar Association.
Here are some excerpts from that interview, but read the full article here:
On becoming partner:
“As a native of East St. Louis, Ill., who was raised in a single-parent household, this accomplishment enabled me to demonstrate that great things can come from humble beginnings.”
On being president of the NBA:
“The prominent African American lawyer Charles Hamilton Houston once said, ‘A lawyer’s either a social engineer or … a parasite on society.’ … At the conclusion of my year, I had to face a few harsh realities. Chief among them was that the legal field doesn’t have enough social engineers.”
On her inspiration:
“My mother, Marion E. Malone. She was a maid by profession. Although she did not obtain a high school diploma, she is one the wisest and most insightful people I know.”