History

Martin Luther Jr. stands at a pulpit, with a light shining behind him. Jr. was a speaker at the Mammoth Rally on May 3 in the late 1950s.

For Black leaders in Kansas City, MLK Day is a Hectic — and Empowering — Day of Service

By Lawrence Brooks IV, KCUR 89.3 | January 15, 2024

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a day for leaders in Black communities to connect to something bigger and encourage better support for African Americans.

The civil rights leader Martin Luther King waving to supporters

Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. With Black Wealth Creation

By Mary Sanchez | January 12, 2024

Stark realities about racial wealth gaps in America will shape local discussions this year to honor Martin Luther King Jr.

A white courthouse built in the Greek revival style. On top the building is a clock tower.

Rural Rebirth: More Than a Civil War Town in Lexington

By Cami Koons | September 20, 2023

History puts Lexington on the map. The community’s commitment to betterment holds it together and makes Lexington a place worth settling down in or visiting.

By the mid-1930s Kansas City area high school football players, like these members of the William Chrisman High School football squad in Independence, competed while wearing helmets and protective padded apparel.

Risks and Rewards of Playing High School Football

By Brian Burnes | September 6, 2023

Kansas City football history is littered with players killed and maimed playing the sport. It was so violent high school football once was banned for 13 years.

Preservation workers at the Quindaro site.

Remembering Quindaro: ACLU of Kansas Shines New Light

By Mary Sanchez | August 10, 2023

The ACLU of Kansas has released a report urging people to study the history of the thriving, multiracial Quindaro township in Kansas City, Kansas.

Union Station and the Kansas City skyline lit up at night.

The Way We Were: Mapping Historic Landmarks in Kansas City

By Julie Freijat | July 19, 2023

Kansas City has about 300 landmarks on the National Register of Historic Places, and more than 100 on its local Register of Historic Places. Check the maps.

Fetid rainwater collected in the Kansas City Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fountain after a water pump failed.

Troubled Waters: KC’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial Restored

By Mary Sanchez | July 13, 2023

The Kansas City Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fountain has been repaired after a long delay. But local veterans seek more upgrades.

High water along the Missouri River during the flood of 1993. The downtown skyline is in the background.

Kansas City’s Cruel Summer: The Flood of 1993

By Brian Burnes | June 29, 2023

The Missouri River Flood of 1993 defined a cruel summer in Kansas City, as the city was inundated by heavy rains and unleashed rivers for about a month.

Hundreds of Kansas Citians gather at University Academy for a town hall discussion on reparations in Kansas City.

Kansas City Starts Down a Long Road to Black Reparations

By Mary Sanchez, Cody Boston | June 15, 2023

Kansas City is embarking on a difficult quest to consider and create reparations to address harm the city has caused and perpetuated for its Black residents.