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Bruce R. Watkins, Kansas City's pathbreaking activist, opposed the highway now named for him

By Steve Kraske,
Halle Jackson
Published February 12, 2026 at 4:00 PM CST
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Four people talk with each other in this 1968 photo.
The Kansas City Star
Bruce R. Watkins, left, was Kansas City's first Black council member and one of the foremost opponents to the South Midtown Freeway. He co-founded Freedom Inc., a Black political organization, which also protested the freeway at the time. The South Midtown Freeway was renamed to honor Bruce R. Watkins after his death in 1980.

Watkins was a founder of the political organization Freedom, Inc. and one of the Kansas City Council’s first two Black members. He was a vocal opponent of Highway 71 — although parts of the parkway were eventually named after him. An event at the Kansas City Public Library on Sunday, Feb. 15, will remember his full life and legacy.

Bruce R. Watkins was fiercely opposed to the construction of Highway 71.

This highway, Watkins said, had the potential to be “Kansas City’s Berlin Wall.” And in many ways, his prediction came true — even after a large stretch of Highway 71 was renamed "Bruce R. Watkins Drive" in his honor.

Watkins was a Kansas City activist who had served as a Tuskegee Airman during World War II. He founded the group Freedom, Inc., and became one of the first Black members of the Kansas City Council in 1963.

Later, he was the first African American politician in Kansas City to launch a competitive candidacy for mayor in 1979 — paving the way for leaders to come.

“I know that (Watkins) had a tremendous influence on my father's campaign,” said Emiel Cleaver, son of U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, who was mayor of Kansas City from 1991 to 1999.

Emiel Cleaver is now executive director of the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center and Museum. He’ll deliver a talk at the Kansas City Public Library on Sunday, Feb. 15 about Watkins’ life and legacy in town.

Event: "The Legacy of Bruce R. Watkins" at Kansas City Public Library - Central Branch, Helzberg Auditorium, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, at 2 p.m.

  • Emiel Cleaver, executive director, Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center and Museum
  • Jeremy Drouin, special collections manager, Kansas City Public Library
Tags
Up To Date PodcastKansas CityhistoryU.S. Route 71civil rightsBlack HistoryKansas City Historyhighways
Steve Kraske
When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
See stories by Steve Kraske
Halle Jackson
In an era defined by the unprecedented, one thing remains certain: Kansas Citians’ passion for their hometown. As an Up To Date producer, I construct daily conversations to keep our city connected. My work analyzes big challenges and celebrates achievements to help you see your town in a new way. Email me at hallejackson@kcur.org.
See stories by Halle Jackson
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