--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: East St. Louis-which the local press…" description: "\"East St. Louis-which the local press refers to as \"an inner city without an outer city\"-has some of the sickest children in America. Of 66 cities in Il..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1c/jonathan-kozol-2747_america_east-st-louis-which-the-local-press-refe_2739480.jpg" --- # East St. Louis-which the local press refers to as "an… ![“East St. Louis-which the local press refers to as "an inner city without an outer city"-has some of the sickest children in America. Of 66 cities in Illinois, East St. Louis ranks first in fetal death, first in premature birth, and third in infant health.” quote by Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1c/jonathan-kozol-2747_america_east-st-louis-which-the-local-press-refe_2739480.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1c/jonathan-kozol-2747_america_east-st-louis-which-the-local-press-refe_2739480.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1c/jonathan-kozol-2747_america_east-st-louis-which-the-local-press-refe_2739480.jpg) > “East St. Louis-which the local press refers to as "an inner city without an outer city"-has some of the sickest children in America. Of 66 cities in Illinois, East St. Louis ranks first in fetal death, first in premature birth, and third in infant health.” [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. East St. Louis suffers extreme child health crises, ranking worst in fetal death and premature birth among Illinois cities. **In simple terms:** Children’s health is dire in East St. Louis. Key Takeaway Address systemic health inequities. Themes poverty health disparities urban decay Mood somber urgent Type social commentary analytical When to use this quote - policy reform - community health programs - maternal care initiatives - education outreach Key Concepts public health social justice environmental determinants Questions to Reflect On - What policies could reduce infant mortality here? - How can communities be empowered to improve health? A Different Perspective Improving outcomes requires sustained funding and political will. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Birth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Illinois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illinois/) [Inner city](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inner-city/) [Premature Birth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/premature-birth/) ## Related quotes > [We know that segregation is evil. We know that the sickest children should not go to the worst hospitals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/we-know-that-segregation-is-evil-we-know-that-the-sickest-children/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [There's no greater cause in the world than finding cures for our sickest children. And no one does that better than St. Jude because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-eisen/there-s-no-greater-cause-in-the-world-than-finding-cures-for-our/) [Rich Eisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-eisen/) > [Tennis would be much more exciting if they had pitching machines firing Tennis was given to me to keep me off the street corners…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/tennis-would-be-much-more-exciting-if-they-had-pitching-machines/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) > [I think for all of us who call East St. Louis part of our heritage, we want to make a better day for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-durbin/i-think-for-all-of-us-who-call-east-st-louis-part-of-our-heritage-we/) [Dick Durbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-durbin/) > [Back in East St. Louis, tennis wasn't the real thing. If you weren't playing baseball, basketball, football, you were kind of on the outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/back-in-east-st-louis-tennis-wasn-t-the-real-thing-if-you-weren-t/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) > [This city of East St. Louis needs a tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-durbin/this-city-of-east-st-louis-needs-a-tomorrow/) [Dick Durbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-durbin/) > [ The scientific understanding of some of these \[childhood\] diseases is advancing quite rapidly. There's some things like premature birth or nutrition, first day deaths… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-scientific-understanding-of-some-of-these-childhood-diseases-is/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [It is a country that professes to care for babies. But in the United States, the infant death rate is twice as high as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lowrey/it-is-a-country-that-professes-to-care-for-babies-but-in-the-united/) [Annie Lowrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lowrey/) > [I encourage my fans to get involved, whether it's just educating yourself on premature birth, or you can donate or volunteer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-brooke/i-encourage-my-fans-to-get-involved-whether-it-s-just-educating/) [Ally Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-brooke/) > [Perhaps, if prematurely we dismiss ourselves from this world, all may even have to be suffered through again - the premature birth may not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/perhaps-if-prematurely-we-dismiss-ourselves-from-this-world-all-may/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [I know that I have this platform with our fans and with social media and all of that good stuff. I really hope that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-brooke/i-know-that-i-have-this-platform-with-our-fans-and-with-social-media/) [Ally Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-brooke/) > [On social media, we have a lot of fans. It's so important to me to spread awareness of premature babies and premature birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-brooke/on-social-media-we-have-a-lot-of-fans-it-s-so-important-to-me-to/) [Ally Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-brooke/) > [When you're first pregnant, you don't want to talk about the idea that a miscarriage or premature birth is possible. The difficulties of things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/when-you-re-first-pregnant-you-don-t-want-to-talk-about-the-idea-that/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [Smoking may cause fetal injury or premature birth." ... I found my brand. Just don't get the ones that say, "Lung Cancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/smoking-may-cause-fetal-injury-or-premature-birth-i-found-my-brand/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > ['Warning: Smoking may cause fetal injury or premature birth.'...Found MY brand! Just don't get the ones that say 'lung cancer.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/warning-smoking-may-cause-fetal-injury-or-premature-birth-found-my/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) ## More by Jonathan Kozol > [Political struggle is the most important thing any of us can do as a citizen in a democracy; and that means the old joining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/political-struggle-is-the-most-important-thing-any-of-us-can-do-as-a/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [The future teachers I try to recruit are those show have refused to let themselves be neutered in this way, either in their private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/the-future-teachers-i-try-to-recruit-are-those-show-have-refused-to/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [Separate and unequal didn't work 100 years ago. It will not work today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/separate-and-unequal-didn-t-work-100-years-ago-it-will-not-work-today/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [“Unless we have the wealth to pay for private education, we are compelled by law to go to public school—and to the public school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/unless-we-have-the-wealth-to-pay-for-private-education-we-are/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [At present, black children are more segregated in their public schools than at any time since 1968. In the inner-city schools I visit, minority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/at-present-black-children-are-more-segregated-in-their-public-schools/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [“I want to correct something I told you once,' she says. 'You asked me once if I thought white people wish that Puerto Rican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/i-want-to-correct-something-i-told-you-once-she-says-you-asked-me/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [Let's concede that we have decided to let our children grow up in two separate nations, and lead two separate kinds of lives. If,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/let-s-concede-that-we-have-decided-to-let-our-children-grow-up-in-two/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [When I was young, I was religious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/when-i-was-young-i-was-religious/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [Our political establishment refuses to use the word 'segregated.' They call the schools diverse, which means half black, half Hispanic, and maybe two white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/our-political-establishment-refuses-to-use-the-word-segregated-they/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > ['Savage Inequalities' was about school finance, and 'Amazing Grace' primarily dealt with medical and social injustices in New York. But with 'Ordinary Resurrections,' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/savage-inequalities-was-about-school-finance-and-amazing-grace/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [Discrimination is alive and soaring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/discrimination-is-alive-and-soaring/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [If you could lead through testing, the U.S. would lead the world in all education categories. When are people going to understand you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/if-you-could-lead-through-testing-the-u-s-would-lead-the-world-in-all/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [No Child Left Behind widens the gap between the races more than any piece of educational legislation I've seen in 40 years. It denies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/no-child-left-behind-widens-the-gap-between-the-races-more-than-any/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [An awful lot of people come to college with this strange idea that there's no longer segregation in America's schools, that our schools are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/an-awful-lot-of-people-come-to-college-with-this-strange-idea-that/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [The answers I remember longest are the ones that answer questions that I didn't think of asking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/the-answers-i-remember-longest-are-the-ones-that-answer-questions/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) [Explore all 151 Jonathan Kozol quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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