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Woman Looking Up

The (R)evolution of the ‘Soft Black Girl’

Many Black women are ditching the expectations of the “strong Black woman” stereotype and tapping into the “soft Black girl” lifestyle focusing on luxury.

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George and Sylvester “Pat” Johnson, Reuben Benton and Leroy Doty came to be known as “The Foursome.”

KC Filmmakers Tee Up Documentary on Black Golfers

In March 1950, four Black men placed their fees on the counter of the whites-only Swope Memorial Golf Course and left to tee off. Slashed tires, broken windows and a decade-long battle to assert the right for equal play on Kansas City’s golf courses ensued.

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The doors to the Johnson County Museum exhibit: "Redlined: Cities, Suburbs, and Segregation."

Lasting Scars of Redlining on Display at the Johnson County Museum

An exhibit at the Johnson County Museum reveals in detail how white supremacist thinking behind discriminatory real estate and lending practices and government policies shaped modern Kansas City.

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Kansas City's Historic 18th & Vine Jazz District, where the JuneteenthHeritage Festival is set to take place.

25 Ways to Celebrate Juneteenth in Kansas City, and to Keep Supporting Black Communities

Celebrate Juneteenth by attending events, shopping with Black-owned businesses, supporting Black-led organizations, and learning more about our community’s history.

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A series of posts, or bollards, marks the formerly segregated section of Fairview Cemetery in Liberty, where more than 750 individuals are believed to be buried, many of them in unmarked graves.

Memorial Honors Hundreds of Black People in Liberty’s Unmarked Graves

The Liberty African American Legacy Memorial honors 761 Black people who have been confirmed to be interred, mostly in unmarked graves, in the formerly segregated sections of two cemeteries in Liberty.

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A niece holds up a sketch of Medal of Honor winner Willy F. James Jr.

KC’s Forgotten Medal of Honor Recipient

The family of Medal of Honor recipient Willy F. James Jr. is seeking local recognition for the Kansas City native who gave his life to save another in World War II.

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Thomas Jones, bottom right.

Preserving Our Past: Kansas City Stories of Black History

In “Preserving Our Past: Kansas City Stories of Black History,” a new Kansas City PBS documentary compiled in honor of Black History Month, Flatland reporter Catherine Hoffman shares untold or unexamined stories of local Black history.

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Lauren Billinger, a South Patrol officer with the Kansas City Police Department, responding to a call for service.

Use of the Force: KC Debates Police Department Staffing

Kansas City is grappling with how to allocate resources for its police department this budget season. Much of the debate turns on how many police officers are needed, and how they should be deployed.

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Jesse James Jr., son of outlaw Jesse James, is second from left in the front row in this family picture taken at the family farm in the early 1900s.

Clay County’s Colorful History Left Some (Land)marks

Clay County, Missouri, has a rich and complex history, which will be remembered during this year’s bicentennial observance.

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Fran Marion is a leader in the Fight for $15 movement

Feeling the Effects of a Widening Wealth Gap

A recent study from WalletHub ranked 50 states and the District of Columbia in terms of wealth gaps by ethnicity. When you add it all up, Black families are still getting the short end of the stick nationwide.

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