A year after Michael Brown's death, a changed Ferguson tries to move beyond shooting, protests

In this July 25, 2015, photo, children hold balloons at a community gathering in Ferguson, Mo. Dubbed a “Day of Hope” more than 40 area churches along with help from Convoy of Hope organized the event to bring people in the community together for a "stress free" day. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) (The Associated Press)

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In this Sunday, Aug. 2, 2015, photo, a marker in the shape of a dove is embedded in the sidewalk near the spot where Michael Brown was shot and killed by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Mo. A year ago, Ferguson was thrust into the national spotlight after the death of Brown giving way to the "Black Lives Matter" movement. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) (The Associated Press)

In this July 25, 2015, photo, Mercedes Harris, left, Theresa Reed, center, and Corliss Wade pray together at a community gathering in Ferguson, Mo. As Ferguson marks one year after the death of Michael Brown, change has come to the suburban working-class town, from new faces in city government to modifications to the municipal court system. For some the change has been positive and meaningful but for others it has been slow and not gone far enough. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) (The Associated Press)

FERGUSON, Mo. – A year ago, Ferguson, Missouri, was a quiet working-class suburban town. The uneasy relationship between its growing black population and its mostly white police force barely registered in local headlines.

Everything changed on Aug. 9, 2014, when a white police officer named Darren Wilson shot and killed Michael Brown, a black 18-year-old who was unarmed. The shooting launched the "Black Lives Matter" movement.

Now the city government, and the streets themselves, look much different.

The city has a new police chief, a new city manager and a new municipal judge — all blacks who replaced white leaders. All Ferguson officers wear body cameras. The city council has new members, too, several of whom are black. And the business district at the center of last year's protests is slowly rebuilding.