Johnson County's Negro Creek runs through southern Overland Park and Leawood, and went mostly unknown and unmapped. But when social justice protests emerged in 2020, people took notice and petitioned to change the name. After years of research and public discussions, the creek will keep its name, but get new signage explaining its history.
In a live conversation at Rochester Brewing & Roasting in the Crossroads, Johnson County Commissioner Becky Fast and Jay Holbert, past president of NAACP, tell KCUR's Steve Kraske why Negro Creek kept its name and the efforts to uncover the identity of the man escaping slavery that inspired it.
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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.
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