John Collins-Muhammad

John Collins-Muhammad
Alderman for the 21st Ward of St. Louis
In office April 2017 – April 2021
Preceded by	Antonio D. French
Personal details
Born	St. Louis
Political party	Democratic
Residence	St. Louis City

John Collins-Muhammad, Jr. (born 1991), commonly known as John Muhammad is an activist and American politician from the state of Missouri. He currently serves on the Board of Alderman of the City of St. Louis as Alderman of the 21st Ward where he represents portions of North City. Collins-Muhammad was elected to his first term in April 2017 at the age of 25, which makes him the youngest person ever to be elected and the first Muslim ever elected to the St. Louis Board of Alderman.

Personal life

Collins-Muhammad was raised in North City, St. Louis, Missouri in the Greater Ville Neighborhood. A graduate of St. Mary's High School, He went on to complete his studies in political science and history at the only two HBCU's in Missouri; Lincoln University in Jefferson City and Harris-Stowe State University in Saint Louis.

While in college, Collins-Muhammad served as a Legislative Intern to former Missouri state representatives; Rodney Hubbard and Talibden "T.D." El-Amin. He worked in the St. Louis City License Collector's office under Michael McMillan. He has worked in various departments and agencies in local and state governments. For a short time, he also worked for AFL-CIO's Working America as a Lead Regional Organizer.

Collins-Muhammad is a member of; 100 Black Men of America, Inc.; Lions Clubs International; Regional Business Council: Young Professionals Network, and the Democratic Party. He is also a Muslim in the Nation of Islam under Louis Farrakhan and attends the Nation of Islam Temple in St. Louis. Collins-Muhammad is also known by the moniker Yahya Muhammad. Collins-Muhammad also has strong ties to the Moorish Science Temple; a notorious Islamic sect known locally for being indicted under the Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act in 1991.

Political career

Collins-Muhammad was elected to his first term as Alderman for the city's 21st Ward in April 2017 following Alderman Antonio D. French's vacation of the seat to run for Mayor. At age 25, he is the youngest person ever to be elected Alderman in the city's history.

In the Board of Aldermen, Collins-Muhammad serves on the following committees;

• Committee on Ways & Means
• Committee on Public Safety
• Committee on Transportation & Commerce
• Committee on Public Utilities

He is also a member of the African-American Aldermanic Caucus. ^[1]

In 2017, Collins-Muhammad proposed a major redevelopment plan on Natural Bridge Avenue; one of the city's most derelict and less economically developed Corridors. Natural Bridge Avenue sits in the middle of North St. Louis, and is populated by crime, a decreasing housing market, and vacant buildings. Collins-Muhammad's plan included a blighting, and a 15 year tax abatement on property on Natural Bridge Avenue, and additional funding in Tax Increment Financing to developers.^[2]

In 2018, in response to high freezing temperature, Collins-Muhammad gained mass media attention for opening up an emergency homeless shelter at St. Peter community center in his ward. The emergency shelter houses up to 150 person per night and is operated 24 hours a day. St. Peter community center is owned by St. Peter African Methodist Episcopal church in St. Louis. ^[3]. Collins-Muhammad also wrote an open letter to the Missouri Governor to call attention to the homeless epidemic in St. Louis. ^[4]

Prior to running for Alderman, Collins-Muhammad, in 2016 ran unsuccessfully for Missouri state representative of the 77th district placing second in a four way race losing narrowly to Steve Roberts, Jr. ^[5]

Ferguson

Collins-Muhammad was a known leader in the protest movement following the 2014 death of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO. He expressed criticism to police militarization and the way the crisis was handled within the community. During the protests, Collins-Muhammad was among the protesters who were tear-gassed by law enforcement and policing agencies. He assisted in the organizing of rallies, events, and protest demonstrations calling for the resignation of Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson and the immediate arrest of police officer Darren Wilson.^[6]. He was fired in 2014 from the Village of Uplands Park in St. Louis County for making inflammatory remarks on national television about the shooting of two St. Louis area police officers. Fellow Ferguson protester and Black Lives Matter surrogate Tory Russell is a known associate of Collins-Muhammad and served as his campaign manager.

Controversy

Collins-Muhammad was arrested by Florissant Police Department for failure to pay parking & traffic tickets and driving with a suspended license in Fall 2018. Collins-Muhammad had warrants for traffic violations in three St. Louis area cities, or municipalities.

Political offices

References