The 1954 landmark Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education marks its 70th anniversary today. While lead plaintiff Oliver Brown is the most well-known figure in the desegregation case, there were 12 Black women alongside him. Plus: A small Kansas college is trying something unique to recruit Black baseball players.
Lead plaintiff Oliver Brown is the most well-known figure in the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education ruling, which declared that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. But there were others alongside him in Topeka. For KMUW, Carla Eckels reports on the "Women of Brown" on the landmark case's 70th anniversary.
Not all high school baseball players get the chance to pursue their sport in college. For minority students, the opportunity is even smaller, making it hard for them to stay connected to the game after college, too. But Greg Echlin reports for KCUR on one tiny institution in Overland Park making a deliberate effort to change that with local kids.
Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.
Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox and Gabe Rosenberg.
You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.
