Mackenzie Martin

On June 8, 1966, an F5 twister touched down in Topeka, Kansas, killing 17 people and injuring hundreds. All of these years later, some locals still wonder if it happened because the city ignored an urban legend.

For decades, urban legends have held that tornadoes seem to “split” around certain cities, like Tonganoxie, Kansas, or avoid sacred places, like Burnett’s Mound in Topeka. Mackenzie Martin and Maya Cederlund investigate whether these weather myths are backed up by evidence — or if they’re just stories we tell ourselves in the dark.

Artist Luis Quintanilla fled Spain to escape fascism and civil war, but most of his work did not survive. Today, only two of his murals remain in the world, one of which sits in an otherwise ordinary corner on the campus of the University of Missouri-Kansas City. 85 years later, Quintanilla’s bizarre and enthralling masterpiece stands as a testament to immigrants, and a warning against authoritarianism. KCUR’s Nomin Ujiyediin reports.

El artista español Luis Quintanilla huyó de la Guerra Civil Española para escapar de la persecución, pero la mayor parte de su obra fue destruida. Hoy en día, uno de los dos únicos murales que quedan, se encuentra en un rincón de la Universidad de Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC). Recién restaurada, la extraña y fascinante obra maestra de Quintanilla es un testimonio de los inmigrantes y del peligro del autoritarismo.

Artist Luis Quintanilla fled the Spanish Civil War to escape persecution, but most of his work was destroyed. Today, one of his two remaining murals sits in an otherwise ordinary corner of the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Newly restored, Quintanilla’s bizarre and enthralling masterpiece stands as a testament to immigrants and the danger of authoritarianism.

On a Friday morning in rural Kansas, the publisher of a tiny local newspaper hears a knock at the door. It’s the police — with a search warrant. Within minutes, they’re inside his home, seizing his electronics. At the same time, officers are raiding his newsroom, confiscating computers and phones. No subpoena. No warning. And, according to legal experts, no right to do it. The publisher scrambles to understand: Why is this happening? Who’s behind it? He has made some enemies over the years, in this town of just 2,000 people. And then something even more devastating happens. A tragedy that would make national news, and change his life forever. (This episode comes to us from the podcast Question Everything.)

A People’s History of Kansas City is hitting the streets near you for several in-person bingo extravaganzas! Hosts Suzanne Hogan and Mackenzie Martin will be in North Kansas City on August 21, south Kansas City on August 26, and Lee’s Summit on September 3. In addition to everything you love about bingo, we’ll also have lots of Missouri history trivia to share — and regular PHKC listeners will have an advantage that could help you take home the top prizes. Be the first to know when tickets are available by signing up for alerts at kcur.org/bingo. Support for this event comes from Missouri Humanities.

In 1977, Judy Heumann led a 26-day occupation of a federal building that pressured the government to enforce a key civil rights law known as Section 504. Decades later, as the Missouri and Kansas attorneys general try to weaken those protections, activists are putting up another fight.

Signed 35 years ago this month, the ADA was the world’s first comprehensive civil rights law for people with disabilities — guaranteeing equal opportunity in public accommodations, employment, and more. But it likely wouldn't have passed without the relentless pressure of grassroots activists and Kansas Republican Bob Dole.

Signed 35 years ago this month, the Americans with Disabilities Act was the world’s first comprehensive civil rights law for people with disabilities — guaranteeing equal opportunity in public accommodations, employment, and more. But as Mackenzie Martin reports, it likely wouldn't have passed without relentless grassroots activism, or the advocacy of Kansas Republican Bob Dole.