Dozens march against black on black violence in Columbia

Saturday, the Imani Mission Center in Columbia led a march through the city to protest black on black violence.

First ward city councilman Clyde Ruffin and city manager Mike Matthes also marched with the group and spoke afterward.

According to Matthes, black young men and women ages 15 to 24 are 16 times more likely to be injured by firearms in Columbia. That is just one reason why Glen Cobbins, the director of the Imani Mission Center wanted to bring the community together and march against black on black violence.

“Crime as a whole is the lowest it’s ever been,” Cobbins said. “But black crime, black on black violence and crime is as high as it’s ever been. So you do the math. We’ve got to raise awareness.”

In Columbia, African-American households make 60 percent of what Caucasian households make. Graduation rates are lower, teen pregnancy rates are three times higher and life expectancy for African-Americans is 6.5 years less in the city, Matthes said.

“Events like this are critically important to get the word out about that,” Matthes said. “You know, it’s a very troubling statistic. We’re very pleased that the crime rate is at an all-time low, but this is something we can’t just ignore, we got to focus some energy on this and turn that around.”

About 100 people marched together starting at Hickman High School on Business Loop 70 East and Providence Road and ended in front of the Boone County Courthouse on Walnut Street.

First ward city councilman Clyde Ruffin spoke to the group after the march. He said black on black violence is an issue in the entire community, not just the inner city.

“It’s important for all of us to come together across racial lines, economic lines, even from different parts of the city because it’s a problem that affects us all,” Ruffin said.

Cobbins said he hopes the march will be one of the first steps in unifying the community, as people across all races marched together.

“This is not about a racial divide,” Cobbins said. “This is about a racial union to delete the separatism in religion and races and unionize everybody as a whole so that we can do this thing together.”