St. Louis, a city at the crossroads of a nation divided, straddled the line between free and slave states, the settled East, and the untamed West. Sharon Hartman Strom delves into previously unexplored sources, interweaving the personal narratives of women and both free and enslaved African Americans into the rich tapestry of the city’s history.

Strom’s analysis reveals how the embrace of Protestantism among people of color ignited a powerful antislavery movement. During the Civil War, influential citizens played key roles in Lincoln’s cabinet and Congress. Missouri’s decision to remain in the Union allowed the city to navigate its own path toward ending slavery and granting citizenship to African Americans. However, biracial movements striving for equality ultimately faltered when the East St. Louis race riot of 1917 underscored the persistent dominance of racist attitudes and structures in the region.

Illuminating and nuanced, Becoming St. Louis presents a diverse social and political history of a city grappling with transformation during a pivotal era in American history.