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Kansas City’s barbecue king

You may love burnt ends, but you probably haven’t heard of Henry Perry, Kansas City's original "barbecue king." Plus: How Hiram Young, a former slave, opened the first school for Black children in Independence and became one of the wealthiest persons in the county.

Most people know that Kansas City BBQ is a big deal, but not many know who's responsible for its creation. Enter Henry Perry, a Black entrepreneur who helped shape Kansas City BBQ into what it is today. A People's History of Kansas City tells his story.

Want more BBQ? Join "A People's History of Kansas City" host Suzanne Hogan and producer Mackenzie Martin live at the Gem Theater on Thursday, Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. for a behind-the-scenes look at Henry Perry.Get tickets here.

Hiram Young bought freedom for him and his wife, started a thriving business, and eventually built the first school for Black children in Independence. Despite all of his success, Young's story is rarely told. For KCUR's podcast A People's History of Kansas City, Carlos Moreno uncovers truth behind one of the town's richest residents.

Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR onTwitter andFacebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Trevor Grandin, and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate

As a newscaster and a host of a daily news podcast, I want to deliver the most important and interesting news of the day in an engaging and easily understandable way. No matter where you live in the metro or what you’re interested in, I want you to learn something from each newscast or podcast – and maybe even give you something to talk about at the dinner table.
Trevor Grandin is a contributing producer for KCUR Studios.
As an on-demand producer, I am focused on using my skills and experiences across multiple digital applications, platforms and media fields to create community focused audio, video and on-demand products for KCUR Studios. The media that I produce aims to inform, entertain and connect with the Kansas City metro area as we continue to learn from each other. Email me at byronlove@kcur.org.
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