SLCL Presents Author Bobby Bostic

St. Louis County Library Foundation presents an event with Bobby Bostic, author of “Humbled to the Dust: Still I Rise.”

The event will take place on Monday, August 21 at 7:00 p.m. at the Florissant Valley Branch, 195 New Florissant Rd. S., Florissant MO 63031.

The program is free and open to the public. Books will be available for purchase at the event.

At the age of 16, Bobby Bostic was convicted for an armed robbery and carjacking. He was given a sentence of 241 years by Judge Evelyn Baker, making him eligible for parole when he is 112. Bostic was serving the longest sentence in Missouri given to a juvenile for non-homicide offenses.

In 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it is unconstitutional to sentence a juvenile to life without the possibility of parole for non-homicidal crimes. Through the efforts of the ACLU and the now-retired Judge Baker, Bobby Bostic finally left prison as a free man in 2022.

Writing in 2018 about regretting her sentencing of Bostic, Judge Baker said, “Scientists have discovered so much about brain development in the more than 20 years since I sentenced Bostic. What I learned too late is that young people’s brains are not static; they are in the process of maturing.” Bostic was among the first people to be granted parole under new laws directed toward juvenile sentence reform.

While incarcerated, Bobby earned his GED and wrote several books. Bostic also founded a book club in prison, and after writing to the St. Louis County Library, inspired efforts from the librarians to create projects to improve literacy in prison.

Bobby Bostic will discuss his memoir "Humbled to the Dust: Still I Rise" and his other books with a signing to follow.

Program sites are accessible. With at least two weeks' notice, accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities. Call 314-994-3300 or contact us.